TRIPOLI, 26 July 2023 - The United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) takes note of the approval of a roadmap and the announcement of nominations for a new government by the House of Representatives (HoR). The Mission has repeatedly warned against unilateral initiatives in addressing the political stalemate in Libya.

Guided by Security Council resolution 2656 (2022), Special Representative of the Secretary-General (SRSG) Abdoulaye Bathily has been engaging all Libyan institutions and key stakeholders to “agree on a roadmap to deliver elections as soon as possible across the country, on a constitutional and legal basis, through dialogue, compromise, and constructive engagement, in a transparent and inclusive manner, aiming at, inter alia, forming a unified Libyan government able to govern across the country and representing the whole people of Libya.”

The political process in Libya is at a critical stage that requires an inclusive political agreement with the buy-in and participation of all major stakeholders. Unilateral actions, like similar attempts seen in the past, could inflict serious negative consequences for Libya and trigger further instability and violence. The country is already suffering from deep divisions, and such moves could cause further polarization amongst the population, who have been suffering for over a decade.

SRSG Bathily is intensifying his engagement with major stakeholders to facilitate a political settlement to make the draft laws implementable, agree on a new unified government, and enable successful elections without delay. In that context, UNSMIL has delivered its comments regarding the framework for elections to major Libyan stakeholders. The document is a product of discussions with all major Libyan stakeholders that highlighted those areas of concern on the electoral framework. We expect that those issues are seriously considered before the electoral framework is finalized in an inclusive manner.

UNSMIL warns against all actions that undermine the people’s continuous demands for national elections and finally bring legitimacy to Libyan institutions in a peaceful and democratic manner. The Mission also reiterates its calls to all Libyan actors to draw lessons from the past and come together in a spirit of compromise.