The Libyan Permanent Mission to the United Nations in New York has been forced to shut down due to severe financial difficulties, announced Libya’s UN Ambassador Taher El-Sonni.
The closure, effective from May 1, stems from unresolved financial issues, including significant debt that has led to a halt in operations.
In a letter addressed to Abdul Hamid Dbaiba, the head of the Government of National Unity (GNU), El-Sonni detailed the dire financial conditions that have plagued the mission.
Key issues include the failure to transfer allocated funds and the accumulation of debts exceeding $2 million, which has severely hindered the mission’s functioning.
El-Sonni highlighted that the mission has struggled to pay the salaries of its local staff, some of whom have not received wages for up to six months. Despite these challenges, he has instructed the mission’s diplomatic staff to continue their duties as best as they can under the current circumstances.
The situation has escalated to a critical point where El-Sonni is urgently calling for immediate financial intervention. He has requested an increase in budget allocations to meet the actual operational expenses of the mission and avoid further exacerbating the crisis. Without prompt action, the mission faces potential legal actions and complaints against the Libyan state, which have already started to emerge.
This closure underscores the ongoing challenges faced by Libya’s diplomatic missions abroad, highlighting the broader context of political and economic instability within the country. The situation calls for comprehensive financial and administrative reforms to ensure that Libya’s foreign missions can effectively represent and protect the nation’s interests on the international stage.
