Libya

A new UN plan for Libya aims to overcome political deadlock, put the country back on the path to long-awaited presidential elections and renew the legitimacy of its institutions, the Security Council heard on Monday. Stephanie Koury, Deputy Special Representative for Libya and acting head of the UN Support Mission in the country, UNSMIL, briefed ambassadors on the initiative a day after presenting it to the population.

Over the past few days, Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General (DSRSG) for Political Affairs, Officer-in-Charge of UNSMIL, Stephanie Koury intensified her consultations with political actors to highlight the Mission’s efforts to revitalize the political process, restore trust among Libyan actors, and move steadily towards the holding of national elections as mandated by the Security Council Resolution 2755 (2024). 

The Security Council debated the legacy and the future of the European Union Naval Force military operation in the Mediterranean (Operation IRINI) today following the expiry of its authorization for Member States to intercept ships suspected of smuggling migrants on the high seas off Libya.

Representatives of Libya's rival eastern and western legislative bodies, in talks facilitated by the United Nations, signed an agreement on Thursday to end a crisis over leadership of the central bank, nominating an interim governor and deputy. The agreement could help to defuse a crisis over control of the Central Bank of Libya (CBL) and oil revenues that has sharply reduced Libya's oil output and exports.

In agreement with the delegates of the House of Representatives and the High Council of State on one hand and the representative of the Presidential Council on the other, UNSMIL will resume facilitating talks on resolving the crisis of the Central Bank of Libya at its headquarters in Tripoli on Wednesday (11 September.)

The United Nations Support Mission in Libya said it held talks in Tripoli on Monday to help resolve a central bank crisis that sparked a blockade of oil production and threatens the worst crisis in years for the major energy exporter.

The United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) issued a statement late on Monday expressing deep concern "over the deteriorating situation in Libya resulting from unilateral decisions." Disputes over control of Libya's Central Bank have raised alarms about the potential misuse of the country's financial resources.

Recent “unilateral acts” by rival sides in Libya have led to a rapid deterioration in political and economic stability coupled with rising insecurity, a senior UN official in the country told the Security Council on Tuesday. 

The United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) has expressed concerns over what it called the recent unilateral acts by Libyan political actors and institutions, in the East, West and South. 

The political complexities of Libya’s oil industry were highlighted at the weekend when allies of the warlord Khalifa Haftar were said to have tried to shut down a Spanish-operated oilfield in reprisal for an arrest warrant issued by Spain for his son over alleged weapons smuggling.