Libya
Expected Council Action
In August, the Security Council will hold its bimonthly briefing on the situation in Libya. Special Representative and Head of the UN Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) Hanna Serwaa Tetteh will brief the Council on recent political, security, and humanitarian developments in the country and the Secretary-General’s latest report on UNSMIL. Additionally, the chair of the 1970 Libya Sanctions Committee will brief on the committee’s activities.
Key Recent Developments
The political impasse in Libya continues between the UN-recognised Government of National Unity (GNU), based in Tripoli and led by Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Mohammed Dbeibah, with advisory support from the High State Council (HSC), and the eastern-based Government of National Stability (GNS), led by Prime Minister Osama Hamad and backed by the House of Representatives (HoR) and the self-styled Libyan National Army (LNA) under the command of General Khalifa Haftar. The parties remain deadlocked over proposed legislation to hold national elections that would reconcile the country’s divided government. A key point of contention is over the formation of a unified interim government to organise the elections—a move favoured by the GNS and HoR but opposed by the GNU and some segments of the HSC. The prolonged stalemate between the rival governments—which has persisted since the indefinite postponement of the 2021 elections—is one of the root causes of Libya’s political, security, and economic instability.
Starting on 12 May, there were two days of deadly clashes between rival militias in Tripoli that were sparked by the killing of Abdel Ghani al-Kikli, head of the Stability Support Authority (SSA), allegedly in a facility operated by the 444 Brigade, a rival militia aligned with Dbeibah. On 14 May, the GNU announced a ceasefire and called on all parties to adhere to it and refrain from any actions that could reignite the tensions. Despite the heightened tensions triggered by the incident, no further major outbreaks of violence have been reported, and both groups appear to have pulled back, contributing to a fragile, calm situation on the ground.
During the Security Council’s most recent briefing on Libya, held on 24 June, Tetteh highlighted growing fears among Libyans that armed clashes could resume. She also expressed concern over the continued transfer of weapons into Tripoli, which has led to a significant build-up of heavy arms and stockpiles in densely populated urban areas, posing a serious threat to civilians. Tetteh further warned that the current instability risks undermining the 2020 Ceasefire Agreement.
Tetteh also briefed the Council on nationwide consultations regarding the work of the Advisory Committee set up by UNSMIL on 4 February to address outstanding issues hindering the holding of elections in Libya. The committee completed its mandate and submitted its final report to the mission on 6 May, outlining options for holding elections and ending the transitional phase. Subsequently, UNSMIL has been conducting nationwide consultations to facilitate an inclusive dialogue among Libyans on the committee’s proposed options. The mission intends to use the comments gathered through these consultations as input to develop “a time-bound and politically pragmatic road map reflecting the Libyan people’s demand for tangible change, with the goal of ending transitional processes”. Tetteh said she hoped to be able to present this road map for the Council’s endorsement during her August briefing.
On 20 June, Germany and UNSMIL hosted the Berlin Process International Follow-up Committee on Libya (IFCL) meeting in Berlin. The last meeting of the IFCL in the plenary format took place in June 2021. Tetteh said that the meeting marked a “significant shift towards reinvigorating international coordination on Libya and consolidating international support for United Nations efforts in advancing a political process”. Three regional organisations and 19 member states attended the meeting and reaffirmed their commitment to supporting the UN-facilitated political process in Libya.
In recent months, there has been a noticeable spike in irregular migration from Libya across the Mediterranean, with most migrants arriving in Greece. On 8 July, a European Union (EU) delegation—led by the EU Migration Commissioner and the interior ministers of Italy, Greece, and Malta—travelled to Libya to urge stricter migration controls by Libyan authorities. The delegation first visited Tripoli, where they met with Dbeibah. However, upon arriving in Benghazi, authorities in eastern Libya ordered them to leave, citing breaches of diplomatic norms, violations of domestic laws, and disregard for Libyan sovereignty.
According to some reports, the incident appears to have been intended as a signal to the EU that eastern authorities cannot be ignored in addressing major issues in Libya. The reports also indicate that eastern authorities are demanding international recognition and equal standing with the UN-recognised Government of National Unity (GNU) based in Tripoli.
Human Rights-Related Developments
In a 4 June press release, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk voiced grave concern and shock over revelations of gross human rights violations uncovered at official and unofficial detention facilities run by the SSA in Tripoli. Dozens of bodies were discovered at such sites, along with the discovery of suspected instruments of torture and abuse, and potential evidence of extrajudicial killings. Türk described these discoveries as confirming past reports by UNSMIL and the former UN Independent Fact-Finding Mission, as well as from various witness accounts. In response to these revelations, the High Commissioner called for the sites to be sealed and for prompt, independent, impartial and transparent investigations by the Libyan authorities. Among other recommendations, Türk urged the authorities to grant the UN full and unimpeded access to the sites as part of its mandate to document human rights violations.
Key Issues and Options
The fragile security situation in the country remains a key issue for the Council. These concerns have become even more acute after the recent escalation of violence in Tripoli. While the violence has now ceased, the UN has warned that it could have spiralled out of control and seriously undermined the permanent ceasefire reached in 2020. Citing reports of military build-up in and around Tripoli in July, UNSMIL has called on all parties to refrain from using force and avoid actions that could lead to renewed clashes. The violence underscores the need for sustained attention to the political and security dynamics in Libya. Members may choose to hold informal briefings with civil society on the potential undercurrents that could affect the stability of the country.
Another continuing core issue for the Council is supporting political progress towards national elections to unify Libya’s divided government. One of the main objectives for the Council is to help foster common political ground between the country’s rival governments to reach an inclusive agreement on electoral laws, including the possible establishment of a unified interim government to organise the elections.
Given recent and revitalised efforts by UNMSIL to facilitate dialogue between Libyan political stakeholders, Council members may be interested to hear more from Tetteh on this process, especially the road map that UNSMIL is expected to present. Council members could consider adopting a presidential statement expressing support for the development of the roadmap and urging Libyan political stakeholders to commit themselves to implementing it with a view to bringing an end to the transition period and facilitating the holding of the long-delayed general elections.
Council Dynamics
Council members remain united on the need for a Libyan-led, inclusive political process resulting in elections that will help to restore political, security, and economic stability to the country. They also remain broadly supportive of the UN’s mediation role towards this end. Council members also share concerns about the fragile security situation in the country, especially after the recent escalation of violence in Tripoli.
While Russia shares some common ground with other Council members, it has consistently emphasised that no political solution should be imposed on Libyans and has cautioned against potential UN overreach. While most Council members have generally welcomed the Advisory Committee’s recommendations, Russia expressed concern at the June meeting, arguing that most major political forces in Libya do not view the Advisory Committee’s work positively.
More broadly, geopolitical tensions continue to influence Council dynamics on Libya. Several Western members remain concerned about Russia’s growing presence in the eastern part of the country under Haftar’s control, which has reportedly been accelerated by the redeployment of Russian military assets from Syria following the ouster of former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. Russia, for its part, routinely blames Libya’s current instability on the NATO-led military intervention in 2011 and accuses Western countries of pursuing economic interests, particularly to exploit Libya’s oil reserves.
| Security Council Resolutions | |
| 29 May 2025S/RES/2780 | This resolution renewed for six months the authorisation for member states, acting nationally or through regional organisations, to inspect vessels on the high seas off the coast of Libya, bound to or from Libya, that they have reasonable grounds to believe are violating the arms embargo. |
| 16 January 2025S/RES/2769 | This resolution renewed the mandate of the Panel of Experts of the 1970 Libya Sanctions Committee until 15 May 2026 and the authorisation of measures related to the illicit export of petroleum from Libya until 1 May 2026. |
| Secretary-General’s Reports | |
| 11 April 2025S/2025/223 | This was the 120-day report on UNSMIL. |
| Security Council Press Statements | |
| 17 May 2025SC/16064 | This was a statement on escalation of violence in Tripoli. |
