Latest news with #UNSupportMission
Zawya
24-07-2025
- Politics
- Zawya
Libyan lawmakers, military and security officials discuss strengthening legislative role in national security
Members of the House of Representatives and senior military and security officials gathered in the Tunisian capital this week for a two-day forum aimed at bolstering the role of legislators in shaping Libya's national security legislations. Organized and facilitated by the United Nations Support Mission in Libya, the event was attended by the Defense and National Security Committee, the Interior Committee, the Legislative Committee, and the Women and Children Committee of the Libyan House of Representatives. The UN Security Sector Reform Standing Capacity also participated. Participants conducted a deep dive into shortcomings in the current legislation, emphasizing the need for comprehensive reforms that reflect Libya's evolving security landscape. Key priorities included strengthening border security and enhancing the legislative authority's capacity to modernize relevant laws. The forum also spotlighted successful national initiatives, such as the development of a code of conduct for military and security personnel, raising the minimum age for recruitment, updating the police law, and intensifying efforts to secure Libya's land borders. These measures were presented as foundational steps toward building more professional, effective, and responsive security and military institutions. On the second day, discussions turned to election security. Participants stressed the importance of updating the legislation pertaining to elections security to ensure a safe and transparent electoral process—regardless of the type of elections. UNSMIL presented categories of misinformation, disinformation and malinformation, outlining its risks to electoral integrity. The session underscored the urgent need to update relevant legislation to keep pace with rapid developments in the digital information space. In the context of Libya's ongoing transitional phase, participants and UNSMIL experts reviewed a proposed action plan aimed at strengthening the role of the House of Representatives in security sector reform. The plan calls for the creation of specialized parliamentary sub-committees tasked with reviewing and updating security legislation, in collaboration with national and international experts and under UNSMIL's technical guidance. The plan, which received broad consensus, places citizen protection and human rights at the core of any future security legislation. It also calls for adherence to international standards and a stronger role for civil society in delivering security services. 'This dialogue between key Libyan institutions is a vital step toward strengthening the rule of law and fostering constructive engagement between the executive and legislative branches,' said Badreddine El Harti, Chief of Security Institution Services at UNSMIL. 'It lays the foundation for sustainable peace and long-term state-building.' The next meeting is scheduled for the second half of September, with UNSMIL set to coordinate preparations and mobilize international support to advance the implementation of the action plan. Distributed by APO Group on behalf of United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL).
Libya Review
18-06-2025
- Politics
- Libya Review
UN Calls for National Effort to Confront Hate Speech in Libya
The United Nations Secretary-General's Special Representative for Libya, Hanna Serwaa Tetteh, warned that hate speech is becoming a serious obstacle to national unity and peace efforts. Her statement, issued Wednesday on the International Day for Countering Hate Speech, called for immediate and coordinated efforts to confront divisive rhetoric across Libya. Tetteh described hate speech as a direct threat to the country's stability, particularly in the context of Libya's fragile security and political polarization. 'In such a sensitive environment, hate speech—especially when based on regional, tribal, or ethnic divisions—can do lasting damage,' she said. 'It deepens mistrust, fuels conflict, and undermines the work toward national reconciliation.' She stressed that fighting hate speech is not only the responsibility of governments but also of society as a whole. Institutions, media outlets, social leaders, civil society organizations, digital platforms, and individual citizens all have a role to play. Tetteh called for replacing inflammatory rhetoric with a more constructive, inclusive, and respectful tone that encourages unity and forward-looking dialogue. The UN Support Mission in Libya reaffirmed its commitment to working with all Libyans to foster national dialogue, support reconciliation, and promote responsible public messaging. She emphasized that inclusive communication must be part of any genuine effort to move the country toward peace and stability. The UN diplomat also addressed the growing influence of digital technologies and artificial intelligence in shaping public opinion. While these tools can be used to support peacebuilding, Tetteh warned that they must not become channels for spreading hate or misinformation. 'We must ensure these technologies are used to unite, not divide,' she said. Tetteh concluded with a strong call to action: 'We must stand against hate, choose respect in our differences, and build a future for Libya based on unity, justice, and lasting peace.' Her statement comes at a time when online incitement and identity-driven rhetoric remain key challenges for Libya's fragile political transition, threatening to derail reconciliation efforts and widen existing divisions. Tags: hate speechlibyaReconciliationUN Envoy
Libya Observer
21-05-2025
- Politics
- Libya Observer
Russian ambassador meets UNSMIL chief amid rising tensions in Tripoli
The Russian Ambassador to Libya, Aydar Aganin, has met with the UN Secretary-General's Special Representative, Hanna Tetteh, to discuss the country's current political and security landscape, including recent unrest in the capital, Tripoli. In a statement posted on its official Facebook page, the Russian Embassy said the talks, held on Tuesday, also covered the work of the UN Support Mission's advisory committee and the prospects for reviving the political process under UN auspices. The meeting is part of ongoing coordination between Moscow and the United Nations, aimed at supporting stability in Libya and promoting dialogue among the country's divided factions, the Russian Embassy explained. News Tagged: UNSMIL Russian embassy in Libya
Arab News
17-04-2025
- Business
- Arab News
UN envoy calls for swift political compromise to end prolonged crisis in Libya
NEW YORK CITY: The UN's top envoy for Libya, Hanna S. Tetteh, warned the Security Council on Thursday that continued political gridlock and institutional fragmentation risk plunging the country further into instability, unless urgent compromise can be achieved and a unified path to elections agreed. Addressing council members in person for the first time since her appointment in February as the secretary-general's special representative for Libya, Tetteh noted that although the country's leaders broadly agree on the need for elections, deep divisions remain over whether they should be preceded by the development of a constitutional framework or proceed under existing arrangements. 'Political will for compromise is crucial to develop a consensual road map resolving Libya's political crisis and completing the transition,' she said. 'Elections must be integrated into a comprehensive political framework promoting state-building by unifying and strengthening institutions.' Tetteh reported that the UN Support Mission in Libya has been facilitating consultations through an advisory committee tasked with addressing electoral challenges. The committee, which held sessions in Benghazi and Tripoli, is expected to submit its report by the end of this month. 'We will assess these options and use them as a foundation for forging consensus on the next steps of the Libyan-led and owned political process,' she added. Although a fragile 2020 ceasefire agreement continued to hold for now, Tetteh warned that military tensions continue to run high, particularly in the south of the country where clashes in Qatroun have resulted in heavy casualties. She also noted that recent armed mobilizations among western factions in Tripoli have raised fears of renewed violence. 'The situation will remain fragile until there is political will to unify security and military forces under a shared vision,' Tetteh said. She also highlighted worsening economic conditions marked by currency depreciation, inflation and disputes over oil revenues. A recent decision by Libya's National Oil Corporation to halt oil- for-fuel transactions was welcomed for promoting transparency, but disagreements continue, particularly following the Central Bank's devaluation of the national currency, the dinar. 'Several stakeholders have suggested an audit of key Libyan state institutions by a top-five international firm,' Tetteh said. 'This would help address lapses in financial management and promote accountability.' On the humanitarian front, Tetteh decried the targeting of migrants and aid workers, and linked a surge in xenophobic rhetoric to increased violence, arrests and even deaths. 'The targeting of humanitarian organizations, migrants, asylum-seekers and refugees must stop,' she said. She also expressed concern about arbitrary detentions, with legal professionals and political opponents among those targeted. She called for the immediate release of all individuals held without due process, and for the adoption of legislation to protect women from violence. 'Women in Libya face significant challenges and violence without adequate social or legal protection,' Tetteh said as she highlighted the need for swift passage of the long-delayed Protection of Women Against Violence Law. The voter registration process recently concluded for municipal elections in 62 cities and towns, including Tripoli, Benghazi and Sabha. More than 570,000 people registered, 31 percent of them women. Tetteh hailed this as a 'crucial step for grassroots democratic governance' but noted several cases of interference and called for legal procedures to be respected. She also pressed for resolution of political standoff within the High Council of State Presidency, warning that it undermines national governance. 'Every day, ordinary Libyans face recurring crises: economic, security and political,' Tetteh said. 'The aspirations and needs of the Libyan people are held captive by protracted divisions and harmful unilateral actions.' She concluded with a stark warning to the international community: 'Inaction will be more detrimental than the cost of change.' Tetteh urged the Security Council and the wider international community to unify behind a political plan to support democratic governance and sustainable development in Libya.
Arab News
23-03-2025
- Politics
- Arab News
UN raises alarm over wave of ‘arbitrary' arrests in Libya
TRIPLI: The UN Support Mission in Libya expressed concern over what it said were arbitrary arrests, including of lawyers and members of the judiciary, calling for their immediate release. 'UNSMIL is alarmed by the wave of arbitrary arrest and detentions across Libya by law enforcement and security actors,' it said in a statement. 'These actors are using their powers of arrest and detention to target individuals for their alleged political affiliations, to silence perceived dissent, and to undermine judicial independence.' Libya has struggled to recover from the chaos that followed the 2011 uprising. It remains split between a UN-recognized government in Tripoli and a rival authority in the east. UNSMIL also expressed concern about the use of filmed confessions, 'where individuals are detained and coerced into 'confessing' to alleged crimes with videos published online.' It said the practice was used to 'intimidate and humiliate' the individuals and must be deemed inadmissible. Among those arrested was Judge Ali Al-Sharif, who was subjected to violence during his arrest in Tripoli on March 10, as well as lawyer Mounir Al-Orfi, detained in Benghazi since March 12. UNSMIL said that two military prosecutors, Mansour Daoub and Mohammed Al-Mabrouk Al-Kar, have also been held in Tripoli since 2022. The situation 'undermines the environment necessary for Libya's democratic transition and weakens Libyans' trust in law enforcement and security entities that must work to protect and promote the rights of all people in Libya, not undermine them,' UNSMIL said.
