As Libya’s political process shows renewed but fragile momentum, the Security Council today pressed national stakeholders to move beyond consultations and deliver concrete progress on elections, institutional unification, security stabilization and economic reform.
Libya’s current dual-government stalemate traces back to the collapse of Muammar Qadhafi’s regime in 2011, which fractured State institutions, left security structures divided and triggered recurring struggles over legitimacy, authority and national wealth.
The present split emerged after the planned December 2021 elections were postponed indefinitely, as the UN-recognized Government of National Unity in Tripoli continues to resist efforts to replace it before elections, while the eastern-based authorities, backed by the House of Representatives and Khalifa Haftar’s Libyan National Army, press for a unified interim executive to organize the vote.
The United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) charted a political road map in 2025 to break this impasse through three linked tracks: a workable electoral framework, institutional unification under a single Government, and a broader national dialogue on governance, security, economy, reconciliation and human rights.
But in the previous briefing in April, Hanna Serwaa Tetteh, Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Libya and Head of the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL), told the Council that progress was insufficient.
In today’s session, she said that Libya’s political process has regained momentum, although progress remains fragile.
UN-Facilitated Structured Dialogue Produces Credible Recommendations
Addressing the country’s challenges, she said, requires a concerted effort to “put the best interests of the country first, unify its institutions and tackle its economic and security problems”. Advancing the UNSMIL-facilitated road map is therefore not merely “a political imperative”, but “a viable path” to overcoming institutional fragmentation.
The UN-facilitated “Structured Dialogue” has produced a credible Libyan-owned set of recommendations after six months of engagement with roughly 120 Libyans from diverse constituencies. Participants developed nearly 600 recommendations across governance, economy, security, and national reconciliation and human rights. While some dissent emerged in the governance track, the report has largely been received positively, and the task now is to translate it into structured, sequenced and Libyan-led implementation.
If progress in advancing the road map is not possible, she said, “I will revert to this Council to present a proposal to move the process forward based on the provisions of existing political agreements and where the outcomes of the Structured Dialogue may provide guidance”.
In parallel, UNSMIL has continued to facilitate the “Smaller Convening” between representatives of the Government of National Unity and the General Command of the Libyan National Army, with members of the two chambers also participating. Discussions have been constructive, with agreement in principle on reconstituting the High National Election Commission and talks under way on electoral laws, though further progress is needed, she said.
Security Hindered by False Claims against UN, Deadly Clashes
However, the political opening remains vulnerable to disinformation and insecurity. Ms. Tetteh warned that false claims about alleged UN plans to settle migrants or refugees in Libya have fuelled hostility, threats and violence against United Nations premises. Security incidents, including deadly clashes in Zawiya and protests outside the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and UNSMIL buildings in Tripoli, further underscored the fragility of the security environment.
“Libya now has a clearer set of political options with a narrowing window in which to act,” she said, adding that responsibility lies first and foremost with Libyan stakeholders. However, international commitment remains critical to converting processes into outcomes, she said, stressing: “The direction is known, the tools exist. What is required now is the political will to deliver.”
Libya Moving in the Right Direction
Council members broadly welcomed the progress made so far but highlighted the remaining challenges.
The representative of the United States reiterated full confidence in Special Representative Tetteh. “Thanks to the efforts of the United States, UNSMIL and other partners, we are seeing significant progress between the East and West towards unifying the country’s military, economic and political institutions”, she said, including the signing of a national budget for the first time in 13 years, and Libya’s co-hosting of part of United States Africa Command’s Flintlock 2026 exercise. She also welcomed steps to reconstitute the High National Elections Commission and amend electoral laws through the 4+4 small-group dialogue, urging continued constructive engagement.
Latvia’s delegate also welcomed Libya’s recent strides and the convening of several small-group discussions aimed at bringing the main political parties to one table. Urging all parties to maintain that momentum, he also called on them to review the outcomes of the Structured Dialogues “with an open mind” for the benefit of the Libyan people. Panama’s speaker urged the authorities in the country’s east should implement the recommendations emerging from the recent dialogue process in good faith.
Developments in Libya’s security and economic arenas are “moving in the right direction”, said the representative of France, adding however that more efforts are needed to guarantee the country’s unity, stability and reunification. Colombia’s delegate, Council President for June, speaking in her national capacity, welcomed the more focused dialogue formats. Meetings held in Rome and Tunis have helped key actors find common ground and identify the main issues. These spaces are vital to build trust and buttress the understanding needed to break the political deadlock, she said, calling on Libyan stakeholders to commit to the road map.
Political Settlement Must Be Transparent, Non-Discriminatory, Libyan-Led
Her counterpart from the Russian Federation stressed that the political settlement must be transparent, non-discriminatory and led by the Libyans themselves. If a proposal for stabilization fails to gain the approval of one or more of Libya’s leaders, the risks of deeper destabilization will increase substantially, she warned. Further, international mediation must not diminish the contribution of neighboring States, for whom stability in Libya has direct implications. “Any steps that directly or indirectly lead to the consolidation of internal divisions, external oversight or the extension of transition periods cannot be considered constructive,” she warned.
New Plan to Protect Libya’s Frozen Assets
China’s delegate said Libya’s frozen assets are “the commonwealth of the Libyan people” and should be fully protected, noting that his country, in its capacity as Council President last month and the acting chief of the Libyan Sanctions Committee, has drafted a new implementation assistance notice on how to implement the cash reserve re-investment arrangements under Council resolution 2769 (2025). He looked forward to an early agreement on that.
“These assets are frozen for the sole purpose of protecting and preserving their value for the benefit of the Libyan people, not for the institutions holding the funds,” said the representative of Liberia, also speaking for Somalia and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Welcomed the progress made towards the adoption of the draft implementation assistance notice, Bahrain’s delegate emphasized: “This step serves the interests of the Libyan people by preserving the frozen Libyan assets and safeguarding their value for future generations”.
The representative of Pakistan was also among those stressing the central importance of economic governance, public finances and management of national resources to achieving sustainable peace and long-term stability in Libya. He therefore encouraged the full implementation of the unified spending framework for 2026 as it would lead to greater fiscal coordination and economic stability.
Migration, Refugee Challenges
Greece’s speaker said that migration and refugee movements continue to increase amid persisting regional security challenges. Addressing these developments requires “a comprehensive strategy” that tackles “the root causes of displacement” while disrupting criminal trafficking and smuggling networks that exploit vulnerable populations. In this regard, Greece, as an Eastern Mediterranean neighbour and partner, is engaging closely with Libya to help address this major challenge, in full respect of international humanitarian law, she added.
The United Kingdom’s delegate expressed concern over recent protests directed at UNSMIL and UN staff. Those largely reflect frustration among Libyan communities about irregular migration and are fuelled by mis- and dis-information about the UN’s work. In that regard, he strongly condemned the criminal gangs profiting from organized immigration crime and driving insecurity in Libya and beyond.
Libya Questions Structured Dialogue Process
The representative of Libya expressed reservations about the process for “Structured Dialogue”, saying the final report should have reflected “the full range of views”, including those calling for direct elections or completion of the constitutional process. He posed several questions about the Dialogue’s practical value, implementation mechanisms, links to other initiatives and ability to support the broader political track.
Stressing that any political process must end transitional phases, avoid repeating past mistakes, include all active parties and respect Libyan ownership, he warned that continued stalemate could allow foreign agendas to destabilize Libya and the region. He called for dismantling trafficking networks, pursuing oil smugglers and supporting Libyan-led solutions based on sovereignty and equal partnership. He also addressed irregular migration, declaring: “Libya will never be a country for the resettlement of migrants in any form.”
