A former member of the United Nations Mission in Libya (UNSMIL), Ayman Badr has voiced allegations that the mission is “among those obstructing Libyans from reaching elections, and ensuring safety in the nation.”
Badr’s comments shed light on the controversial role of international intervention in Libya, describing it as “more of a hindrance than a solution.”
Furthermore, he expressed his discontent with the lack of tangible progress made by the UN mission, since it assumed its responsibilities.
Speaking to the press, Badr criticised the conduct of former envoys, suggesting that they “raise concerns once they’ve left their posts, often discussing issues they didn’t address during their tenure.”
He cited the formation of the 6+6 Joint Committee, orchestrated via UN observers, “after laws were issued and an agreement was reached between the Libyan Parliament and the High Council State (HCS), the UN Envoy began questioning the laws.
This inconsistency has left many in the region baffled,” he added.
Badr stressed that UNSMIL, “needs to reassess its approach to better support the Libyan people in their quest for stability and progress.”
Last week, a Libyan Presidential candidate, voiced the growing disillusionment among Libyans towards UNSMIL and its Envoy, Abdoulaye Bathily.
Mohamed Al-Ghweil expressed concerns that Bathily’s approach “leans towards prolonging the current political stalemate, and shifting responsibility onto the Libyan people, rather than offering substantial initiatives to break the deadlock.”
Al-Ghweil highlighted the failures of both the Security Council and UNSMIL, primarily due to the “mechanisms founded on power-sharing arrangements among constantly shifting conflict parties.”
He noted that Libyans have “lost faith in the UN Mission, particularly following the Security Council’s decision not to publish the report by the expert team, investigating corruption cases stemming from the Geneva meeting. This meeting led to the establishment of the Presidential Council, and the interim Government of National Unity.”
Last month, Libyan MP Abdel-Monem Al-Arfi accused Bathily of seeking to prolong the Libyan crisis, rather than resolve it.
In a press statement, Al-Arfi said that MP’s will demand Bathily’s removal from UNSMIL. “We await a consensus among the Parliament members to call for his departure from Libya,” he explained.
However, the United Nations Security Council recently voted to extend UNSMIL’s mandate.