Libya

The Security Council today decided to extend until 30 September the mandate of the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) as an integrated special political mission.

With just over 100 days until landmark elections in Libya, political leaders must join forces to ensure the vote is free, fair and inclusive, the UN envoy for the country told the Security Council on Friday. 

Libya's eastern commander Khalifa Haftar has hired a former Republican congressman and former aide to President Bill Clinton for a nearly $1 million lobbying campaign aimed at shoring up political support and influence ahead of elections later this year.

France and Spain already reopened their diplomatic missions in Libya following the end of the civil war last year.

Fighting broke out in Tripoli early on Friday between rival armed forces, the heaviest clashes in the Libyan capital since the conflict between eastern and western factions paused a year ago.

[…] Speaking at Libya neighboring countries meeting in Algeria, an event that discusses support for the political process and elections, Kubis urged stakeholders and neighboring countries to send elections monitors to Libya and called on the House of Representatives to speed up the approval process of elections' legislations and constitutional basis.

[…] UNSMIL commended these efforts, conducted in coordination with the 5+5 Joint Military Commission (JMC). ‘‘It is a very significant step forward towards the unification of the military institution and the country’’, it added.

Stephanie Williams, the former acting UN Envoy to Libya, explains the background and prospects for the UN-mediated political transition in Libya; the roles of the US, Turkey, and Russia in the diplomatic process; whether Gen. Khalifa Hifter is strengthened by the unity agreement; and the prospects for elections in December 2021.