On 9 December 2022, the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) distributed Secretary-General António Guterres’ report on the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL). The report outlines the various efforts of intra-Libyan dialogue tracks from August to December 2022 and then explains the various international efforts that have sought to support these dialogue tracks. Guterres overviews different international and regional engagements with Libya since August 2022, then provides details on the security situations in the western, eastern, and southern regions, details relevant extremist activities, and overviews Libya’s economic situation. Lastly, Guterres expands on UNSMIL’s activities in Libya relating to electoral support, human rights and the rule of law, security, women empowerment, coordinating international assistance, and development assistance among other areas.
In the report, Guterres says that he and UNSMIL recognise a continuing and stagnating political impasse between the rival Government of National Unity (GNU), led by Abdul Hameed Dabaiba, and the Government of National Stability (GNS), led by Fathi Bashaagha. He says that there has been little progress on a pathway to elections despite the Speaker of the House of Representatives (HoR), Aqeela Saleh, resuming talks with the President of the High State Council (HSC), Khalid Mishri. Guterres also commends the Presidential Council (PC) for ‘furthering its vision of national reconciliation’. Guterres says that the work done by Special Representative of the Secretary-General (SRSG), Abdoulaye Bathily, has been and will continue to be focused on engaging ‘Libyan and international interlocutors to identify a consensual pathway towards the holding of inclusive and credible national elections’. Guterres says that Bathily will further push for these elections once a constitutional framework is provided.
Guterres ends the report with recommendations. His recommendations include but are not limited to: ensuring the solution to the crisis is ‘Libyan-led and Libyan-owned’; continuing work on a constitutional framework so elections can move forward; the 5+5 Joint Military Commission (JMC) resuming its work to help support an intra-Libyan security dialogue track; intensifying efforts to ensure oil revenues are used in transparent and accountable manners aimed at improving general living conditions; working to ensure Libyan authorities fairly prosecute widespread human rights violations and allow unimpeded humanitarian access to migrant detention facilities.
Read the full report here.