Fawzi Al-Nuwairi, the First Deputy Speaker of Libya’s House of Representatives, announced on Friday his rejection of the UN Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) as a mediator for the country’s crisis. He emphasised the need for a purely national approach to resolve Libya’s ongoing challenges.
In a statement, Al-Nuwairi declared, “There is no hope in the UN mission; the solution lies in the hands of Libyans.” He criticised the “repeated failures” of UN envoys, arguing that this proves a resolution cannot come from external actors. Instead, he called for a focus on holding free and fair elections and drafting a permanent constitution to return power to the Libyan people.
Al-Nuwairi underscored that comprehensive national reconciliation is “the only path to restoring unity and preventing external interference.” He stressed the importance of prioritising Libya’s interests and achieving independence in decision-making, free from international agendas or imposed solutions.
He urged Libyans to unite and work towards rebuilding the country independently. “Our destiny is in our hands, and the solution will not come from outside,” he added.
This statement comes as UNSMIL Acting Head Stephanie Khoury launched a plan in December to break the current political deadlock. The plan proposes creating a technical committee of Libyan experts to resolve disagreements over electoral laws and define pathways to holding elections.
Khoury’s initiative also includes a framework for governance, prioritising milestones for a consensus-based government. The mission aims to facilitate structured dialogue involving diverse segments of Libyan society, including political parties, women, youth, and cultural leaders, alongside supporting national reconciliation, economic reforms, and the unification of security institutions.
