The UN renews its mission in Libya for one year after months of blockages

Abdoulaye Bathily new United Nations special envoy

The political mission of the United Nations in Libya (Manul) was renewed on Friday October 28 at the UN for one year. It had been more than a year since, due to divisions within the Security Council, this mandate had not been renewed on an exceptional basis and for short periods.

With our correspondent in New York, Carrie Nooten

The unity of the Council has long been had not been reached on the Libyan file. By renewing the UN’s political mission in Libya for one year, the Security Council seems to be getting out of its successive deadlocks.

Since September 2021, Russia has refused to renew Manul for a year, and has only given its approval for only a few months of renewal, on five occasions. Officially, Moscow was waiting for a special representative of the Secretary-General to be appointed.

However, since the departure of Ghassam Salamé in March 2019, the Council has continued to be divided over the candidates. The Slovak Jan Kubis remained in post for barely 11 months before resigning. Then thee Senegalese Abdoulaye Bathily was finally appointed last monthdespite Libyan protests.

The Council thus asks in this resolution to all the Libyan parties to collaborate with the UN envoy. This one hopes to finally carry out mediation between the two factions vying for power in Tripoli. Finally, the Council recalled the holding of elections throughout the country as soon as possible.

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