Stephanie Khoury, Deputy Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General and Political Officer of the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) briefed the UN Security Council on the crisis in Libya.
Khoury confirmed that the Libyans she met during the recent consultations expressed “the need to reach a political agreement in order to organize elections and restore the legitimacy of national institutions.”
Khoury considered that “the political impasse in Libya continues between the National Unity Government recognized by the United Nations, based in Tripoli and led by Prime Minister Mohamed Dbeibeh , and the National Stability Government based in the east led by Prime Minister Osama Hammad, which is allied with the House of Representatives and the Libyan National Army led by General Khalifa.” Haftar.
Khoury added, “This prolonged stalemate between the two rival governments, which has continued since the indefinite postponement of the elections that were scheduled to be held in December 2021, is the main driver of the ongoing political, security, and economic instability in the country.”
Khoury reiterated that “regional and international conflicts extend to the Libyan arena and hinder reconciliation steps.”
Khoury pointed out that “Libya, which is witnessing a large Sudanese exodus to its lands, did not witness any important military events last month, but rather there were some acts of kidnapping and disappearances that need to be prosecuted and their perpetrators held accountable.”
Khoury noted that she will continue consultations and intends to visit other regions of Libya soon, sharing several observations with the UN Security Council regarding her meetings in Libya.
Khoury stated that “citizens mainly expressed their need for a political agreement and the organization of credible national elections to restore legitimacy to institutions.”
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