The top U.N. envoy for Libya said Friday she plans to present an alternative mechanism to push the country toward elections, which have been stalled for years.
Hanna Tetteh, the secretary‑general’s special representative and head of the U.N. Support Mission in Libya, told the Security Council the political process “should not be held hostage by the inaction of key political stakeholders who are maintaining the status quo.”
Tetteh unveiled a roadmap in August built on three pillars: creating a viable electoral framework, forming a unified government and launching a Structured Dialogue to broaden participation. While the dialogue began this week, she said progress on the other two pillars has been lacking, with no agreement yet on reconstituting the elections commission or amending the constitutional framework.
She said she will present an alternative mechanism in her next briefing in February. Libya’s path to elections remains “fraught with complications,” she added, but said they can be overcome if leaders respond to the public’s demand for unity and legitimacy.
Libya marks Independence Day on Dec. 24, the same date set for national elections in 2021 that never took place.