On Friday 16 October, the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) conducted the first-ever, large-scale digital dialogue online with Libyan youth, aged between 18 and 30. About 1,000 youth participants from all regions of the country and abroad joined the conversation. The dialogue addressed the security, economic and political situation in Libya. The level of engagement and interaction of Libyan youth was impressive throughout the dialogue, which lasted two hours. The objective of the digital dialogue was to gather the views of the youth ahead of the Youth Track, which started with its first meeting on Sunday 18 October.

The outcomes of the dialogue will also inform the UNSMIL-facilitated intra-Libyan dialogue tracks about the Libyan youth views for solutions to the outstanding security, political and economic issues.

The vast majority of the participants to the digital dialogue agreed that there is no military solution to the country and that armed conflicts only brought destruction, deaths and displacement. They called for the cessation of foreign intervention in Libya as they consider it the main driver of the Libyan conflict.

The participants overwhelmingly supported the international audit process for the Central Bank of Libya and called for its reunification. They demanded fair and transparent management of Libyan’s natural resources.

Most of them called for a presidential and parliamentary elections to be conducted as soon as possible and agreed on a preparatory period ahead of the elections. When asked about what would happen should all current efforts fail, “war” was the most common answer from the Libyan youth. Responding to a question about the future of Libya, the youth expressed hope and a better peaceful future for Libya.