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Libya Still Mired in Political Deadlock, Fragile Security, Special Representative Tells Security Council, Outlining Road Map towards Successful National Elections

Meetings Coverage
Security Council

9984th Meeting (PM)

SC/16151
21 August 2025

While the Libyan people have shown remarkable determination to exercise their democratic rights in recent municipal elections, the country remains mired in political deadlock, fragile security, economic hardship and human rights concerns, a senior UN official told the Security Council this afternoon.

Hanna Serwaa Tetteh, Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Libya and Head of the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL), updated the 15-member Council on the political and economic progress in the North African nation, as outlined in the Secretary-General's latest report on UNSMIL (document S/2025/509).

"Twenty-six municipalities successfully went to the polls on 16 August in spite of significant challenges," Ms. Tetteh stated, praising the High National Elections Commission, or HNEC, and security staff for ensuring the process. She urged candidates "to accept the election results as the choices made by their voters", and called for "the peaceful transfer of power to the newly elected leaders".

But, she also noted that "not all municipalities [...] were able to do so", citing orders from the House of Representatives-appointed Government in the east to suspend voting in 16 areas, including Benghazi, Sabha, Sirte and Tobruk.

She described deliberate attempts to disrupt elections in the West, including when "unknown individuals set fire to HNEC offices in Zawiya", forcing postponement. Despite arson attacks in Zliten and Sahel al Gharbi, "HNEC staff [...] showed their commitment by setting up their operations outside their burned offices to allow voting to take place". The determination of citizens to proceed underscored what she called "a clear signal that the Libyan people are yearning to elect their representatives".

Nationwide consultations and an online poll of over 22,500 responses revealed widespread frustration, but also democratic aspirations. "Forty-two per cent of respondents expressed their preference for simultaneous presidential and legislative elections," she reported, while others favored a constituent assembly or adoption of a permanent Constitution first. Women and young people "reiterated their aspiration to meaningfully participate [...] and emphasized the need for guaranteed representation, electoral safeguards and inclusion in decision-making bodies".

Based on this input, Ms. Tetteh proposed a road map grounded in three pillars: "the implementation of a technically sound and politically viable electoral framework", "unifying institutions through a new unified Government" and "a structured dialogue that enables broad participation of Libyans". The plan, she stressed, would be gradual, over 12 to 18 months, with safeguards to counter attempts at derailment: "If there is obstruction by any parties, UNSMIL can and will take any necessary measures and seek the support of this Council."

She warned that Libya still faces "a dire economic situation", with corruption, militarization and persistent rights abuses, including "20 deaths in custody between March 2024 and August [2025]". At the same time, she emphasized that "the Libyan people look [...] to ensure a solution to the crisis and support a political process that will result in elections and unified institutions". The Council's unity, she concluded, must "stand for the Libyan people and their legitimate aspirations for a stable, unified and prosperous Libya, and a Government of their choosing".

Sanctions Committee Presents Report

The Council also heard from the representative of Somalia, Chair of the Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 1970 (2011) concerning Libya, who presented its report for the period from 20 February to 21 August. With respect to the arms embargo, the Committee received three reports on vessel inspections conducted by the European Union Naval Force Mediterranean Operation IRINI. He also detailed its activities concerning the asset freeze and the Sanctions List.

Call for Free National Elections

In the ensuing discussion among Council members, speakers highlighted the urgent need for Libya to overcome political deadlock, restore unified institutions and move swiftly towards free national elections. The United Kingdom's delegate emphasized that "fair, transparent and inclusive national elections" would be a major step in ending political deadlock. Welcoming the inclusion of Libyan voices through the Structured Dialogue, he praised the recent municipal elections in 26 municipalities while voicing concern over those obstructed, stressing the need to uphold democratic rights.

The representative of Algeria, speaking also for Guyana, Sierra Leone and Somalia, described the successful holding of the second phase of the municipal elections in 26 Libyan municipalities as "a significant step towards a stable and democratic Libya". Concurrently, he urged the immediate removal of all impediments in areas where elections have been suspended, in particular eastern and southern regions. "The Libyan people are tired of delays and promises that never materialize," he said, adding that the country is caught in "an endless cycle of transition that seems to serve all except its own people".

Slovenia's speaker emphasized that the voices of Libyans from all walks of life, "including women, youth and others in vulnerable situations," must guide a Libyan-led political process. Municipal polls "cannot replace long-overdue national elections", he said, underscoring the need for unity within the Council and for strong support for UNSMIL and the Berlin Process. Greece's delegate pointed out that the suspension of municipal election operations in 11 key municipalities in eastern Libya "raises questions as to the commitment of certain Libyan leaders to the broader political process". Libya's stability remains crucial for control of illegal migration flows, he observed, citing the issue as a priority for States with maritime borders in the Mediterranean.

Enforcement of Arms Embargo

"In the face of the ongoing regional conflicts on Libya's borders, progress towards military integration will be vital to reestablish the country's sovereignty," said the United States' representative. Turning to sanctions, she voiced concern over persistent violations of the arms embargo and illegal arms exports that fuel instability. In this context, she welcomed the renewal of the operation IRINI mandate, citing it as "an important mechanism to allow the member States to enforce the arms embargo and counter weapons trafficking".

Urging full respect for the arms embargo on Libya, France's delegate also emphasized that the European Union's Operation IRINI is the only initiative with a mandate to implement it and thus contribute to the fight against trafficking. "The fragility of the situation in Libya is a testament to how urgent it is to resume the political process," he said.

All Libyans Must Benefit from Country's Vast Natural Resources

Council members further emphasized that Libya and its people must be able to benefit equitably from the country's vast natural resources. The Republic of Korea's delegate underlined the need to end "the undue control of armed groups over Libya's economy and security", reiterating that Libya's resources must serve its people under a transparent national budget. Denmark's delegate stressed the importance of sustaining the ceasefire, the withdrawal of foreign fighters and responsible resource management. Libya "stands at a crossroads between finally moving beyond years of political deadlock or continuing down a path of stalled transitional phases", he said.

In a similar vein, Pakistan's delegate called for timely national reconciliation efforts and careful reinvestment of Libya's frozen assets to safeguard them "for the future benefit of the Libyan people." The delegate for the Russian Federation condemned attempts by political actors to cling to power by force, warning that this undermines international efforts and worsens economic hardship, with "the largest reserves of hydrocarbons in Africa" now unable to meet domestic fuel needs. On frozen assets, the Russian Federation also condemned "predatory attempts by some foreign players" and reminded the Council of its responsibility to safeguard Libyan resources.

Concern over National Instability, Foreign Interference

Some speakers highlighted the fragility and complexity of the situation in Libya, with instability as the central concern. "Libya continues to face an extremely complex crisis," said Panama's speaker, Council President for August, speaking in his national capacity and citing institutional fragmentation, armed violence, a breakdown of trust among citizens, persistent foreign interference and risks that stem from different regional tensions. The use of tactics to disrupt electoral processes constitutes a violation of the fundamental political rights of voters, he added.

"The security situation in Libya remains fragile," echoed China's delegate, urging the international community to focus on the root causes to advance the political process. Maintaining national stability is a top priority, he stressed, noting that, even though "tensions in Tripoli and other areas have seen some easing up", the situation is still unstable.

Constitutional Foundation, Fair Laws Crucial for Successful Elections

Libya's representative thanked the UN Envoy and the UNSMIL team for their outreach, but stressed that the findings from recent consultations are "simply samples of the views of Libyan society" and not sufficient to reflect the whole country. He underlined that any political process must put an end to the transitional period and warned that repeating past failures risks eroding public trust.

Elections, he said, must be based on "a constitutional foundation and fair laws" to renew legitimacy and unify institutions, while ensuring accountability for those who previously sabotaged the 2021 vote. "What are the guarantees today that the Security Council has to offer [...] to guarantee the success of any new electoral process?", he asked, stressing that municipal elections prove Libyans can organize fair polls if the political will exists.

He further emphasized the need for "a state of institutions on law" that alone holds weapons, combats crime and terrorism, and reasserts sovereignty over Libyan soil. Grave human rights violations, including "arbitrary detentions and forced disappearances," were cited as a major obstacle, with a call for the Council to "unequivocally and clearly" condemn such abuses and hold perpetrators accountable. He cautioned that Libya's crisis is "fundamentally and strictly a political one" exacerbated by external interference, turning the country into "a proxy battlefield". Only a comprehensive political solution, reconciliation and "free, fair and transparent elections, through a permanent Constitution" can restore legitimacy and stability, he concluded.