The Libyan House of Representatives has strongly condemned the recently signed funding agreement between the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) and the State of Qatar, denouncing it as a blatant breach of neutrality and an unacceptable interference in Libya’s internal affairs.
In a statement issued on Tuesday by its spokesperson, Abdullah Blehaq, the Parliament’s Defence and National Security Committee expressed its “deep rejection and outrage” over the agreement, which provides Qatari financing for a UN-backed roadmap project. The committee described the move as a “dangerous violation of the principles of impartiality and professionalism” that UNSMIL is obligated to uphold.
The committee argued that the agreement represents a direct encroachment on Libya’s sovereignty, warning that such foreign-funded political initiatives risk turning the Libyan crisis into an internationally manipulated file. It condemned what it termed “suspicious tools seeking to impose external agendas that contradict the aspirations of the Libyan people for stability and national sovereignty.”
The committee also questioned the involvement of a foreign state in financing a political process that “should remain strictly Libyan-Libyan,” warning that the step could have serious repercussions for the political track and undermine any genuine prospects for a long-term settlement.
Reaffirming its stance, the Defence and National Security Committee voiced full support for the statement issued by Prime Minister Osama Hammad, appointed by the House of Representatives, who announced a complete halt to all cooperation and coordination with the UN mission. Hammad demanded that UNSMIL immediately withdraw from the agreement and issue an official apology, accusing the mission of “straying from international norms that require UN missions to maintain neutrality and respect the sovereignty of the host state.”
The controversy escalated after UNSMIL announced on Monday that it had signed an agreement with Qatar to fund a project titled “Supporting Political Dialogue and Enhancing Civil Participation,” implemented in cooperation with the UN Development Programme (UNDP).
Following the announcement, the eastern-based Libyan government declared the mission’s actions unacceptable and called for a comprehensive review of UNSMIL’s role in the country. The committee emphasized that the reassessment may include re-evaluating the mission’s continued presence in Libya if it persists in “exceeding its mandate and aligning with one political side at the expense of national interests.”
The incident adds further strain to the already fraught relationship between Libya’s eastern authorities and UNSMIL, during a period marked by rising mistrust, competing political tracks, and renewed concerns over foreign influence in Libya’s fragile transition.
