UN and Qatar push for urgent Libya security deal

The United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) and the State of Qatar have called on the Government of National Unity and the Special Deterrence Force for Combating Organised Crime and Terrorism to urgently finalise a security agreement aimed at paving the way for the country’s political roadmap and restoring stability.

The appeal followed a meeting in Tripoli last Thursday between Stephanie Koury, Deputy Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Political Affairs, and Qatar’s Ambassador to Libya, Khalid Al-Dosari. The discussions centred on the latest political and security developments in the country.

In a statement, UNSMIL said both parties underlined the importance of accelerating consensus among Libyan security actors on arrangements that would secure the environment needed to move forward towards a comprehensive political solution under UN auspices.

Koury noted that the initiative reflects the priorities outlined by the Special Representative of the Secretary-General, Hanna Tetteh, in her briefing to the UN Security Council on 21 August, in which she stressed the need for parallel progress on both the political and security tracks.

She also expressed appreciation to Qatar for its ongoing support of the UN mission and for its role in advancing the political process through constructive diplomacy.