Divisions in UN Security Council on Libyan file fuel foreign interference

Tripoli, Libya (PANA) - For the fourth consecutive time, the United Nations Security Council has failed to extend the mandate of the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) for one year.

This has once again revealed the persistence of disagreements between member countries on the Libyan issue and an indication of interference in the country's politics, where two two rival governments are claiming legitimacy.

Last Friday, the Security Council unanimously extended the mandate of UNSMIL until 31 July 2022 and in the same terms, the fourth technical extension of the Mission since September 2021.

During explanations of the vote, the majority of Council members regretted, according to the United Nations, that "it was once again impossible to agree on a longer extension" and questioned the Russian Federation,  which has been accused by the United States of "taking the Mission's mandate hostage".

In its defence for refusal to accept a longer and more substantive mandate for the Mission, the Russian Federation expressed its conviction that "the current configuration of the Mission is unacceptable".

It said the resolution sends "a clear message" on the need to take an immediate decision on the appointment of its new head.

"For the past six months, in the absence of a special representative, UNSMIL has been unable to effectively work for the reconciliation process in Libya," said the Russian representative.

Russia also questioned UNSMIL's impartiality, threatening that in the event of another "deliberate delay" in the appointment, his country would "draw all the consequences for the future of UNSMIL".

Russia also accused some members of the Council of not accepting that an African should be the special representative, saying it as a sign of neo-colonialism.

These disagreements in the Security Council, which has the United States and Western countries on the one hand and Russia on the other, have been at the heart of the appointment of a new Special Envoy of the Secretary General to Libya, after the resignation last December of the Slovak, Jan Kubis.

American diplomat, Mrs. Stephanie Williams, who has served as Deputy Special Representative, and acted as interim Special Representative following the departure in February 2020 of Lebanese Ghassan Salamé, was rejected due to Moscow's opposition.

This prompted UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres to appoint her as Special Adviser on Libya, in charge of conducting good offices to mediate with local and regional parties to achieve general elections, thus bypassing the Security Council.

For this reason, Council members decided in their resolution that the UN Mission should be led by a Special Representative of the Secretary-General based in Tripoli, supported by two Deputy Special Representatives. They asked the Secretary-General to appoint a Special Representative quickly.

These disagreements among Security Council members had prevailed during the 4 April 2019 attack by the eastern-based Libyan National Army  (LNA) led by Marshal Khalifa Haftar, paralysing the UN executive body, which failed to adopt any resolution to end the offensive.

Indeed, Haftar's forces attacked Tripoli while the UN chief was in the Libyan capital to give his blessing to the Ghadames Conference, which was supposed to find a consensual Libyan-Libyan solution to the politico-military crisis.

Russia used its veto power and opposed all draft resolutions to address the situation in Libya and to stop the attack on Tripoli.

This situation gave the Libyan crisis an international dimension with the interference of countries that allied themselves with local parties. Russia, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and France were in the camp of Haftar and the Speaker of the Libyan parliament, Aguila Saleh, who served as political cover for this military operation.

The United States, during the administration of President Donald Trump, had an ambiguous attitude in the Libyan file, divided between the crazy attitude of the White House, which leaned towards Haftar, and the denunciation of the US State Department of the military attack against Tripoli.

The camp of the internationally-recognised Government of the National Accord (GNA), which was installed in the west of the country, was supported by Turkey and Qatar, which helped to repulse and defeat Haftar's troops in June 2020.

Foreign interference in Libya has declined significantly in the country's affairs following the consensus reached by Libyans within the framework of the political process resulting from the Berlin Conference mechanism, which led to the Libyan Political Dialogue Forum (LPDF).

This grouping of 75 Libyan personalities from various backgrounds, selected by the United Nations, adopted a roadmap, including the establishment of a transition, or preliminary phase, the organisation of general elections on 24 December, the symbolic date of the 70th anniversary of independence, under the supervision of a Government of National Unity (GNU).

An unprecedented momentum of consensus among Libyans overcame the difficulties in the country and Parliament passed a vote of confidence to the new government with a large majority. This brought back stability and the return of peace with progress in the unification of state institutions and the dissolution of the parallel government installed in the east.

However, problems began to appear with the 2021 draft budget of the GNU, which was not adopted by the legislative body, claiming it was too  big.

In addition, the unilateral drafting of electoral laws by the Parliament without consultation with the High State Council, saw the country sliding into a new impasse following the impossibility of organising the elections on 24 December.

The High Electoral Commission said the vote was postponed because of political conditions, insecurity and legal challenges against some candidates due to loopholes in the electoral laws.

Parliament and the High Council then struck a deal to set up a process: establish a new 14-month transitional phase during which the draft 2017 Constitution will be revised by a joint committee between the two Councils, organise a referendum for its adoption and appoint a new Prime Minister to form a new government.

However, this arrangement has failed. Indeed, Libyans and countries involved in the Libyan issue have rejected any new transition, calling for elections to be held as soon as possible.

Despite this rejection, Libya has found itself with two governments: the Prime Minister of GNU Abdelhamid Al-Dbaiba and the Prime Minister  of the Government of National Stability (GNS) appointed by Parliament, Fathi Bachagha.

This situation has brought back tension in the country with the risk of a new war.

In light of this situation, some countries in the region have started to align themselves with either government.

Indeed, during a visit to Saudi Arabia, the Egyptian President, Abdel Fattah Al-Sissi, together with the Saudi King, Salman Bin Abdelaziz, gave their support to the decisions of Parliament.

For its part, the Algerian president has reiterated recognition only to the government of al-Dbaiba, which represents, according to him, international legitimacy.

The two rival governments are also seeking alliances with countries in the region to establish their dominance in the context of the stalled electoral process.

Meanwhile, Mrs. Williams has been mediating to get Parliament and the High Council of State to agree on the legal text for the constitutional basis for the election.

-0- PANA BY/IS/BBA/MA 2May2022