THE top UN official in Libya warned on Tuesday that the political, military and security situation in the oil-rich north African country has deteriorated “quite rapidly” over the past two months.
Stephanie Khoury insisted that without renewed political talks leading to a unified government and elections, there will be greater instability.
Painting a grim picture to the UN security council, Ms Khoury reported on rival government forces unilaterally making military moves toward each other in July and August.
The moves sparked military threats and attempts to unseat the Central Bank governor and the prime minister in the country’s west.
Libya plunged into chaos after a Nato-backed uprising toppled and killed long-time Libyan leader Muammar Gadaffi in 2011.
In the chaos that followed, the country split with rival administrations in the east and west.
The crisis worsened after the failure to hold elections on December 24 2021 and the refusal of Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibah — in Tripoli in the west — to step down.
In response, Libya’s east-based parliament appointed a rival prime minister who was replaced, while military commander Khalifa Hifter continues to hold sway in the east.
Ms Khoury warned the council that “unilateral acts by Libyan political, military and security actors have increased tension, further entrenched institutional and political divisions and complicated efforts for a negotiated political solution.”
Ms Khoury told council members: “In the absence of renewed political talks leading to a unified government and elections you see where this is heading — greater financial and security instability, entrenched political and territorial divisions and greater domestic and regional instability,” she warned.
She said the UN political mission in Libya is focusing on de-escalating tensions and is proposing talks as a first step “to develop a set of confidence-building measures between all parties to bring an end to unilateral actions and create a more conducive environment for resuming the political process.”
