The United Nations Security Council was warned Wednesday that a deepening political deadlock and escalating divisions within Libya’s judicial system pose a significant threat to the country’s stability and unity, fifteen years after the 2011 revolution.
Hanna Serwaa Tetteh, the UN Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Libya and head of the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL), addressed the Council in New York, outlining the stalled progress on a political roadmap intended to resolve the ongoing crisis. According to Tetteh, the Libyan House of Representatives and the High Council of State have failed to establish a mechanism for selecting the board of the High National Elections Commission (HNEC) or advance electoral legislation, despite UN engagement.
“Their inability to use their agreed mechanism and follow-on unilateral actions has further eroded their credibility,” Tetteh told the Council, noting growing public skepticism regarding the bodies’ ability to deliver on promises of a political solution. She indicated she has begun consultations on a two-step approach to restore momentum, warning that a broader convening of Libyan representatives would be necessary if a smaller group fails to reach an agreement. “We cannot wait indefinitely,” she emphasized.
A particularly concerning development, Tetteh highlighted, is the emergence of a split within Libya’s judiciary. The House of Representatives established a Supreme Constitutional Court in Benghazi in 2023, which now issues rulings parallel to the Constitutional Chamber of the Supreme Court in Tripoli, creating conflicting legal interpretations. “These contradictory, parallel judicial decisions put into jeopardy the unity of the legal and judicial systems,” Tetteh warned.
France’s representative to the UN echoed Tetteh’s concerns, reaffirming support for Libya’s unity, stability, and sovereignty. The French representative stressed the need for the Security Council to fully support the resumption of the political process, which the Libyan people have been demanding for an extended period.
The French representative also emphasized the importance of reunifying Libya’s military and security forces to break the cycle of recurrent tensions, noting the volatile security situation and the presence of numerous armed groups, and militias. The withdrawal of foreign forces, mercenaries, and fighters, in accordance with the 2021 Libyan plan endorsed by the Security Council, was also cited as crucial for restoring Libya’s full sovereignty.
Addressing economic concerns, the French representative called for greater transparency, improved governance, and a better redistribution of national wealth, particularly in the lead-up to Ramadan. The representative also urged increased efforts to combat corruption and highlighted the alarming human rights situation in Libya, calling on Libyan authorities to guarantee the rule of law, strengthen the fight against impunity, and ensure civic freedoms for both Libyan nationals and migrants.
The Security Council meeting concluded without a definitive course of action, leaving the UN’s efforts to mediate a resolution to Libya’s political impasse ongoing.
