UN mission says it has no authority to impose or remove governments in Libya

The United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) has clarified that it does not have the power to impose or remove governments, reaffirming that its mandate focuses on supporting Libyans in overcoming the current political stalemate and holding inclusive national elections to restore institutional legitimacy and unify state institutions.

In an official statement, UNSMIL said there is widespread misunderstanding about the application of Chapter VII of the UN Charter to Libya. The mission explained that its mandate derives from Security Council Resolution 2755 (2024), which renews UNSMIL under Chapter VI — a framework centred on the peaceful settlement of disputes.

“For this reason, the Mission uses its good offices and mediation efforts to facilitate a Libyan-led and Libyan-owned political process aimed at helping the country move towards elections,” the statement said.

The Mission emphasised that Chapter VII applies to Libya only in limited areas, such as the arms embargo and financial measures including the freezing of sovereign assets, travel bans, and other financial sanctions.

It further noted that the political process itself is not subject to Chapter VII. However, Security Council Resolution 2769 (2025) — which imposes sanctions related to the Libyan conflict — was adopted under Chapter VII and is administered by the UN Sanctions Committee, composed of Security Council members.

The committee oversees enforcement of the arms embargo, asset freezes, and restrictions on illicit oil exports as part of ongoing international efforts to support peace and stability in Libya.