UN says political roadmap remains in Libyan hands

The United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) has reiterated that donor countries “play no role in shaping the direction of the political process” in Libya, stressing that it has received voluntary contributions from 13 states and regional organisations since 2015 without any interference in its mandate.

In a statement issued late on Tuesday, the Mission responded to questions raised over the Qatari funding agreement it announced on Monday to support the political dialogue. It outlined how UN activities are financed globally and clarified the specific mechanisms governing UNSMIL’s operations, including its work on implementing the Roadmap.

How UNSMIL is funded

The Mission explained that it is financed through assessed and voluntary contributions from UN member states, adding that it reports on the use of all funds through established oversight and budgetary mechanisms. These, it said, ensure neutrality and transparency across all UN political missions worldwide.

Since its establishment, UNSMIL noted, voluntary contributions have supported several initiatives that directly benefit the Libyan people. These include backing the political process, demining and clearance of explosive remnants of war, institutional reform and unification, and preparations for national elections.

The Mission emphasised that “at least 13 countries and regional organisations have so far provided voluntary funding to support the political process and community engagement”, stressing that such financial contributions “do not grant any donor the ability to influence the direction of the political process, its agenda, its participants or its outcomes”.

Funding for the Political Dialogue Support Project

UNSMIL clarified that additional contributions to the political process are channelled through the Political Dialogue and Civic Engagement Support Project, launched in April 2015. The project has since underpinned the political dialogue and community-engagement activities.

Its core tasks include providing logistical, technical and operational support for UN-facilitated Libyan-Libyan talks; supporting platforms that broaden inclusive participation — including youth, women and civil society; covering political-process costs such as travel, accommodation, venue hire, security and technical expertise; and assisting efforts to unify institutions and explore solutions to critical national challenges in governance, security, the economy and reconciliation.

The Mission said the project “is fully funded through voluntary contributions from a wide array of UN member states and multilateral partners, ensuring broad international backing”.

UNSMIL reaffirmed its commitment to “a Libyan-owned and Libyan-led political process”, underlining its belief that Libya’s future “belongs solely to its people”. It stressed that its role is to provide a “neutral, professional platform enabling Libyans from all regions and communities to discuss key issues shaping a peaceful and prosperous future”.

The Mission condemned “all attempts to mislead public opinion through the dissemination of false narratives”, calling on all Libyan actors to work together to “return authority to the Libyan people”.

UN funding and financial oversight

The statement also outlined how the wider UN system is funded through its regular budget — composed of assessed contributions from all 193 member states, including Libya — in addition to voluntary funding earmarked for specific programmes and projects.

Donors may fund individual programmes or contribute to pooled financing arrangements, UNSMIL explained, but “all implementation is managed exclusively by the United Nations”. All funding falls under the UN’s global financial-oversight system, which requires missions to comply with strict budgetary, procurement and expenditure controls, mandatory reporting, multi-level approval mechanisms and independent audits.

This framework, the Mission added, ensures that funds dedicated to supporting Libya’s political process are “neutral, transparent and managed within a unified structure that prevents misuse and safeguards the integrity of UN operations worldwide”.