Libya's path to elections remains fraught with complications that are challenging but can be overcome, the Chief of the UN Mission in that country said, while its delegate lamented that his country has turned into a battlefield for settling international scores.
Hanna Serwaa Tetteh, Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Libya and Head of United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL), noted that the implementation of the political road map, which she presented to the Council on 21 August, has been "quite challenging". While the two committees on sovereign positions of the House of Representatives and the High Council of State had agreed to reconstitute the High National Election Commission, this did not happen despite multiple engagements.
The other unaccomplished task is the amendment of the constitutional and legal framework for elections. She noted multiple calls for the holding of presidential elections and demonstrations in five cities demanding this. The political process should not be held hostage by the inaction of key political stakeholders, she said, adding: "If the two institutions fail to have agreed on the first two milestones of the political road map, I would be prepared to seek an alternative mechanism and seek the support of this Council".
UNSMIL launched a "structured dialogue" earlier in December in Tripoli, she said, adding that the intention is to facilitate meetings across the country. Libyan women comprised 35 per cent of the participants, and young people and persons with disabilities are also represented. Municipal council elections were successfully held in 16 municipalities on 18 October, with a voter turnout of 68 per cent - "these elections are a welcome step in restoring the legitimacy of local governance".
Libya's persistent financial fragmentation, she said, continues to undermine its dinar. Welcoming the 18 November agreement on a common framework for development spending, between delegates from the the House of Representatives and the High Council of State, she said that "if implemented with transparency", it could help address core economic challenges. The security environment in Tripoli has stabilized to a certain extent, however the situation remains fragile with sporadic outbreaks of armed clashes in southern Tripoli and elsewhere.
Sanctions Committee Reports on Arms Embargo, Frozen Assets, Travel Ban
The representative of Somalia, Chair of the Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 1970 (2011) concerning Libya, detailed its work from 22 August to 19 December 2025. With respect to the arms embargo, he said that the Committee received two reports on vessel inspections, one conducted by the European Union's Operation IRINI and one by Spain. On travel-ban measures, he said the Committee approved a humanitarian exemption for one individual in response to a request submitted by Libya. A delisting request from Libya for one individual was not approved.
"I will now turn to assets-freeze matters," he continued, reporting that "no negative decision was taken" by the Committee regarding 14 notifications, submitted by Bahrain that concerned the Libyan Investment Authority. Several additional requests from other States remain under consideration, and the Committee has updated Libya on the status of various assets-freeze requests and will provide guidance to Member States concerning the reinvestment of frozen cash reserves.
Libyans 'Paying Price' for Global Power Divides, Delegate Says, as Others Call for Withdrawal of Foreign Forces, Reinvestment of Frozen Cash Reserves
Libya's delegate, who spoke at the end of the meeting, requested Council members "to work more seriously when it comes to delisting Libyan citizens from sanctions lists". This dossier must not be politicized and there is no reason for them to be on those lists for more than 15 or 16 years, he said.
On 24 December, his country will celebrate its Independence Day - "this date was supposed to be a celebration of the general elections that were supposed to be held in 2021", he said. The crisis is not due to a lack of proposals or initiatives. Warning against the accumulation of one road map after another as well as piecemeal solutions, he said: "Libyans today are paying the price for the differences among the Powers in the world." The country should be able to decide its own fate with "no custodianship, guardianship or intervention".
While the relevant entities must work towards reconstituting the High National Elections Commission's Board, he said it is also necessary to consider an alternative solution to hold elections if their delay prolongs the crisis. The successful municipal elections show that that "we can and we are ready to hold similar elections", he said.
His Government has launched a security campaign to neutralize illegal groups, he said, also noting the agreement concerning the unified development programme. The international community must support this. The stability of Libya is not just a Libyan issue, he warned - it is a pillar for the stability of the entire region, from the Mediterranean to the Sahara.
The representative of Algeria, also speaking for Guyana, Sierra Leone and Somalia, also spotlighted the uncertain stability situation in Libya amid external interference, which is exacerbated by the continued flow of arms into the country. That illicit trafficking not only sustains the activities of local armed groups but also fuels the machinery of war in Sudan and the Sahel - "often with the active support of the same external actors", he said. He demanded the immediate withdrawal of all foreign forces, foreign fighters and mercenaries from Libya.
He was among several speakers who expressed concern - "once again" - over the ongoing erosion of Libya's frozen assets due to mismanagement by certain financial institutions. "We demand full accountability and reparation in this regard," he said. He also urged the immediate issuance of an implementation assistance notice in the context of resolution 2769 (2025) to finally enable the Libyan Investment Authority to reinvest its frozen cash reserves. Pointing out that no such notice has been issued despite almost a year passing since the resolution was adopted, he asked: "Who is responsible for this delay?"
The Russian Federation's delegate said the problem of Libya's "frozen" assets is not diminishing but growing more acute. When the Security Council decided to block these assets, the declared intention was to preserve them for future generations of Libyans, but "Libyan assets have become vulnerable to the predatory appetites of unscrupulous financial actors in Western countries", he said. China's delegate also stressed that the overseas assets of Libya are the commonwealth of its people and must not be abused. The Council must enable Libya to reinvest the frozen cash reserves and provide implementation assistance.
Greece's representative said that her country, as vice-chair of the Committee established pursuant to resolution 2769 (2015) on Libya, is responding to that country's legitimate request for an implementation assistance notice, aimed at facilitating the resolution's provision of the reinvestment of the Libyan Investment Authority's frozen assets. "We continue to view sanctions as an important policy tool," she added, voicing grave concern that illicit fuel exports continue to result in the direct transfer of wealth outside of Libya - depriving the country's people of resources and exacerbating regional instability.
On sanctions, the representative of Panama said that "experience has shown that such regimes face structural challenges" and urged both improved verification mechanisms and greater transparency in the registration and operation of vessels "in order to make monitoring more effective".
Several Council members called on Libyan political actors to engage constructively with the road map put forward by UNSMIL, while consolidating security gains. The representative of Slovenia, Council President for December, spoke in her national capacity and expressed regret that agreement has yet to be reached on laying the foundation for national elections. She underscored: "Any attempts to stall or spoil this process - whether internal or external - would be unacceptable."
"Pakistan's principled position remains anchored in a core conviction - a Libyan-led and Libyan-owned political process is the only viable pathway towards sustainable peace and stability," said that country's delegate. He praised the Special Representative's political road map while noting a gap "between intent and implementation".
Women's Voices Must Be Heard
"It is deeply concerning that, four months [since the road map], the initial milestones remain unmet," the representative of the United Kingdom said. She welcomed the recent launch of the structured dialogue, adding: "It is essential that diverse Libyan voices, including women and youth, have the opportunity to share their vision for their country." Denmark's delegate sounded alarm over the continued silencing of women through intimidation and smear campaigns. "Ensuring a safe civic and online space for women is vital," she stressed.
France's delegate highlighted the smooth conduct of the latest round of municipal elections, adding: "The desire of the Libyan people to decide their own future is clear." The country's reunification is critical to bring an end to its cycles of violence, he added. Calling for the withdrawal of foreign forces, mercenaries and foreign fighters, he noted that the European Union's Operation IRINI remains the only mission tasked with enforcing the Libyan arms embargo off that country's coast. Emphasizing that the risk of renewed confrontation remains high following recent clashes in Tripoli, the representative of the Republic of Korea said: "The gains achieved so far require careful stewardship."
Last month, the United States, its representative said, issued a joint statement with nine other countries expressing support for increased economic and military integration to complement Libya's political process. Welcoming the recent agreement on a unified development budget, she stressed: "This meaningful step towards economic cooperation will hopefully benefit Libyans from all regions."
Complete Live Blog coverage of today's meeting can be found here .
