UN turns to Qatar to jump-start Libyan dialogue

The United Nations Special Representative for Libya, Hanna Serwaa Tetteh, has welcomed a funding agreement signed by the Government of Qatar to support the project “Supporting Political Dialogue and Enhancing Civic Participation,” implemented jointly with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

In a statement, the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) said the funding will assist efforts to advance the roadmap that Tetteh presented to the UN Security Council on 21 August. According to the mission, the project aims to strengthen civic participation in support of a political process led and owned by Libyans.

Tetteh’s roadmap is built on three main components: establishing a technically sound electoral framework, unifying state institutions through the formation of a new unified government, and launching a structured dialogue that enables broad participation from across Libyan society.

She told the Security Council that implementing the plan requires strengthening the High National Elections Commission, including reconstituting its Board of Directors and addressing issues that contributed to the postponement of the 2021 elections. These steps, she said, are essential for moving forward with the roadmap.

UNSMIL is preparing to launch the structured dialogue in an expanded format, involving groups focused on governance, the economy, security, national reconciliation and human rights.

The mission says the process is intended to help overcome current divisions and support the development of a shared national vision that would pave the way for presidential and parliamentary elections.