Libya: UN mission chief laments lack of progress towards national renewal

“We are not where we would like to be in terms of progress on the roadmap,” said Hanna S. Tetteh, who also heads the UN Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) – a country that remains divided between two rival administrations. 

“Some Libyan actors continue to disregard the expectations of the public regarding their participation in political processes, or towards exercising political leadership based on democratic legitimacy,” she said. 

 “There are both national and regional risks to any continued inaction and foot dragging on the implementation of the roadmap and we believe it is important to recognize this now.” 

Dialogue on critical issues 

Ms. Tetteh updated ambassadors on the structured dialogue – the third pillar of the roadmap that she presented to the Council in August 2025. 

Discussions centre around four critical issues – security, governance, the economy, and national reconciliation and human rights – and taking in views from people across the country. 

She said that work in the four tracks has proceeded towards firm recommendations, and it is anticipated that the structured dialogue will conclude by early June with a final report that will be presented to political leaders and the public.  

“We envision these recommendations can help shape a national vision and inform critical policy reforms that are necessary to strengthen national institutions and create the conditions for the holding of peaceful national elections,” she said. 

UNSMIL continued engagement to advance the roadmap, including efforts to identify ways to unblock the current impasse, which she had reported on during her last statement to the Council two months ago. 

“However, if there is not sufficient progress, as indicated earlier, I will be returning to this Council to present a proposal to move the process forward based on the provisions of existing political agreements,” she said. 

Economic deterioration, poverty growing 

Ms. Tetteh also addressed the sharply deteriorating economic situation in Libya, marked by “currency pressures, rising prices, fuel shortages, uncontrolled and opaque public spending, and growing poverty.” 

These trends confirm that the current economic model and the practices supporting it are no longer sustainable. 

Furthermore, recent findings by a UN expert panel “help to explain the erosion of the State’s capacity to govern through unified, rules-based institutions,” she added. 

“Libya’s national wealth is being absorbed into a distorted political economy that fuels unaccountable spending and weaponises oil revenues,” Ms. Tetteh said. 

“This diversion of resources without a consensus on agreed national priorities weakens fiscal discipline and undermines the State’s ability to function as a steward for implementing projects, programmes and initiatives that respond to critical public priorities and social spending commitments.” 

She strongly urged Libya to implement the panel’s recommendations, particularly in relation to oversight and flows of revenue in the hydrocarbon sector. 

Security situation 

Ms. Tetteh noted that the security situation remains volatile, although no violations of a 2020 ceasefire were recorded. 

She said localised incidents, particularly in southern border areas, underscore the need for progress toward unifying the security and political institutions. 

Meanwhile, the situation in northwest coastal communities “remains volatile among armed groups and criminal networks vying for control over territory and creating space for illicit activities,” with clashes reported in four locations last month. 

On human rights, she cited continuing reports of arbitrary detention, intimidation, and reprisals by security actors against perceived political opponents, human rights defenders and public officials.  

Council support ‘essential’ 

“Libya has reached a significant political, economic, and security juncture. The institutions of the state remain divided, and there is not enough progress towards holding national elections,” Ms. Tetteh said. 

The UNSMIL roadmap “was conceived to help overcome the country’s de facto divisions through a negotiated governance arrangement leading to institutional reunification.” 

She told the Council that the mission will continue to work towards achieving the roadmap’s objectives “and once again your support towards these efforts is not just important; it is essential.”