The European Union (EU) High Commissioner for Foreign Affairs and Security, Josep Borrell, said the EU will continue to fully support United Nations (UN) efforts to find a Libyan-led political solution to the prolonged crisis in the interest of all Libyans.
He also congratulated the new UN Envoy to Libya, Abdoulaye Bathily, on his appointment to his post.
On Saturday, the UN Secretary-General, António Guterres, announced the appointment of former Senegalese Minister and UN diplomat Abdoulaye Bathily to be the new UN Envoy to Libya after the Security Council gave its approval. The UN’s Chief’s decision to appoint Bathily as UN Envoy came after a nine-month search amid increasing chaos in the oil-rich North African nation.
Libya’s transitional government, which opposed Bathily’s nomination, reportedly sent a protest letter to Guterres. This raises questions about how effective the new Envoy can be in trying to resolve the country’s political and economic crisis.
The last UN Special Representative, Ján Kubiš, resigned on November 23rd, 2021, after 10 months on the job, and a number of candidates proposed by Guterres were rejected by council members, Libya, or neighbouring countries.
Libya’s conflicting two governments welcomed the appointment of Bathily, pledging that they will work to facilitate his mission in Libya.
The Libyan government-designate headed by Fathi Bashagha welcomed the appointment of Abdoulaye Bathily as the Special Envoy of the Secretary-General to the UN in Libya.
The government stressed that the agreement between the House of Representatives (HoR) and the High Council of State (HCS) is the only way to reach a unified executive authority able to hold presidential and parliamentary elections.
It added that it has always cooperated with the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (USMIL) and facilitated the work of agencies and international organisations concerned with the Libyan issue.