On Tuesday, the Libyan Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee criticised a statement issued by the United Nations Support Mission to Libya (UNSMIL). This was in reference to the consensus reached between the Parliament and the High Council of State (HCS), regarding the roadmap to form a new government, and hold elections.
The Committee highlighted that the statement, released on 26 July, “transgresses the powers granted to the Special Envoy of the UN Secretary-General, Abdoulaye Bathily.” It underlined that the “mandate of UNSMIL is primarily to provide advice when requested, facilitate dialogue between Libyan parties, and provide necessary logistical aid.”
Taking exception to the Mission’s description of the consensus between the two councils as “unilateral action”, the Committee referred to it as “misleading and malicious.” It argued that “such characterisations aim to destabilise the strenuous efforts made by the councils to break the impasse over unifying the executive authority.” They added that the UN Mission “appears to lack a proper grasp of the dynamics of the unfolding situation.”
The Committee stressed that “by neglecting the significant Libyan consensus to unify executive power, and clear the path for elections during these challenging times, the Mission is exceeding its bounds.”
It underscored the importance of “respect for any consensus reached between the Parliament and the HCS, which are the primary parties in the dialogue. They insisted that the UN Mission has no right to supervise the Libyan people, or introduce new actors into the political scene, as this could further complicate the situation.”
The Committee reiterated that the “international community persistently asserts that any solution in Libya should be Libya-led, facilitated through legitimate institutions and mechanisms, as per the Skhirat Agreement and relevant Security Council decisions.”
In conclusion, the Committee called on Bathily and the Security Council to “ensure the Special Envoy adheres to his role as facilitator of the Libyan dialogue, and does not overstep his mandate. “They encouraged him to “propose productive suggestions, rather than releasing a string of irresponsibly framed public statements.”
