UN envoy before the Security Council.

New York, April 17, 2025 (LANA) - The Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL), Hannah Tetteh, described the security situation in Libya as fragile and volatile amid ongoing military buildup despite the relative continuation of the ceasefire agreement signed in 2020.

In her first briefing to the UN Security Council on political, security, and economic developments in Libya, on Thursday, Tetteh expressed grave concern about the military buildup in and around Tripoli. She also noted that the reinforcement and restructuring of forces affiliated with the General Command in southern Libya is fueling tensions, noting the outbreak of fighting and loss of life during clashes that occurred in Qatrun last month.

The UN official noted that the security situation in Libya remains fragile unless there is political will to unify the military and security forces. She noted that the security and military authorities in eastern and western Libya have established joint border security centers in Tripoli and soon in Benghazi to exchange information.

Regarding the economic and financial situation, Hannah Tetteh warned that the absence of a unified budget could lead to economic collapse in Libya. She emphasized that the absence of a unified budget exacerbates the situation, causing economic instability and exacerbating the depreciation of the currency and inflation.

She said that the UN mission is working with economic experts to identify the economic reforms necessary to achieve financial sustainability and agree on a unified budget to end the current crisis.

Tetteh stressed the need to maintain the stability of key oversight bodies, emphasizing that the dismissal of the heads of oversight institutions must be based on the provisions of the Libyan Political Agreement signed in Skhirat in 2015.

The UN envoy, called on the government to provide rapid funding for oil imports based on local demand, noting that several Libyan parties have proposed conducting an audit of the accounts of key state institutions to improve public financial management and address gaps.

Tetteh, stated that the current transitional government in Libya has not addressed the fundamental challenges facing the country, indicating that the advisory committee will submit its report on resolving the contentious points in the electoral process by the end of April.

Tetteh affirmed the UN mission's support for the advisory committee, noting that it will adopt an inclusive approach to launching the political process, engaging all stakeholders to ensure that the outcome is not solely Libyan-owned but enjoys broad Libyan support.

Regarding the humanitarian and human rights situation, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General pointed to the continued arbitrary detention and numerous violations against women and migrants in Libya, calling on the House of Representatives to pass a relevant law.

In her briefing, Tetteh noted that one of the tragic consequences of the division in Libya is the resulting vacuum that is leading to human rights violations and rising levels of hatred against activists and migrants.

She stated that this is a matter of concern and leads to violence against migrants, asylum seekers, and humanitarian organizations. She emphasized the need to address these threats, including mass arrests, especially with the suspension of the work of some humanitarian organizations operating in Libya, including those with licenses.

Tetteh called on all actors in Libya to adopt a comprehensive approach to combating migrant trafficking and ensuring a safe humanitarian space for the delivery of aid. She noted that arbitrary detentions continue in Libya, including the targeting of legal professionals and political opponents. Tetteh considered the recent release of a number of detainees in eastern and western Libya a positive development, but hundreds remain in detention without legal basis, and all those arbitrarily detained must be released unconditionally.

=Lana=