Youth from southern Libya call for stronger local governance, economic opportunities and protection of women from violence Twenty-five young women and men from across southern Libya called for greater decentralization, improved economic opportunities, safer spaces for women and meaningful participation in political decision-making during a workshop and discussion with Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary General - Political, Stephanie Koury on Wednesday. Participants stressed that addressing the marginalization of southern communities and ensuring their voices are reflected in national reforms are essential to building sustainable peace and stability in Libya. The workshop brought together youth from municipalities including Sebha, Ghat, Ubari, Derj, Wadi al Buwwanis, Qaraqara, Brak al Shati, Qatrun, Murzuq, Kufrah and Jufrah, to discuss the outcomes of the Structured Dialogue and identify how they could be prioritised and implemented by young people in their communities. Participants received briefings on the Dialogue's governance, economic, security, and national reconciliation and human rights tracks before working in groups to develop priorities and implementation ideas in each of the four tracks. DSRSG Political Koury joined the discussions to hear their proposals and explore how they could contribute to Libya's political process. “We want penalties for those obstructing the political process and the rights of those in the South. We are being marginalized even though we have many resources,” said one young woman, reflecting widespread frustration over the lack of development and opportunities in the region. Participants highlighted the challenges of delivering local peacebuilding initiatives, including limited financial resources and insufficient support for elected municipal councils. They called for greater authority and resources to be devolved to municipalities to enable them to respond more effectively to community needs. Many participants also stressed the need to foster civic space and freedom of expression saying that the political division had resulted in a narrowing of freedom of expression. "We cannot speak about corruption or something without putting ourselves in danger. We hope for more work on the civil society law in order to guarantee protections for people working in civil society organizations and their independence,” said one participant. In addition participants stressed the importance of national reconciliation and rights-based transitional justice. Across five working groups, participants identified decentralization and stronger local governance as key priorities, alongside equitable distribution of national resources, improved public services and greater investment in border communities. They called for a unified national budget, stronger oversight mechanisms to tackle corruption, and economic diversification to reduce dependence on oil. Participants also emphasized the importance of supporting small and medium-sized enterprises, expanding entrepreneurship opportunities and ensuring young people have a meaningful role in decisions on local budgets and development priorities. “We need a solution for the economy which supports SMEs and stops spending without approval. We need a unified budget, as well as unified military and political institutions and DDR programmes which actually offer an alternative for young people. Youth are not just numbers put on papers, but are actual people who can participate on the ground to improve things,” said another young woman. Participants from municipalities on the borders highlighted additional challenges, emphasizing the need for economic development opportunities. One participant noted, "In the current context, there are only two options for young people, either joining the military or engaging in smuggling of drugs and weapons". Young women, they added, face additional barriers because of both their age and gender. Many – men and women – raised the issue of the safety or women participating in public and political life. Participants proposed more accessible mechanisms for reporting violence and greater cooperation with local and religious leaders to raise awareness of women's rights. Responding to the recommendations, DSRSG Koury thanked participants for their practical proposals and encouraged them to consider concrete mechanisms for advancing decentralization and strengthening local governance as well as multiple ways they can can engage politically, including developing common positions affecting youth and their communities, strengthening networks with youth across the country, and preparing to participate in upcoming elections. The workshop forms part of UNSMIL's ongoing efforts to broaden public engagement with the political process and ensure that the perspectives of young people, women and communities across Libya inform discussions on the country's future.

Today DSRSG @stephaniekoury1 met the OIC President of Libya’s National Council for Civil Liberties and Human Rights (NCCLHR), Mr. Abdalmola Ramadan Alfitouri Intiasha and heads of departments and staff of the Council. They discussed the importance of strengthening the Council’s role as Libya’s National Human Rights Institution. The Head of Departments briefed on the work and highlighted key challenges, particularly financial constraints, and proposed solutions to advance the Council’s mandate. DSRSGP underscored the importance of adopting the law regulating the Council’s work and called for sustainable support from Libyan authorities and international partners to reinforce its independence, effectiveness, and to achieve full compliance with the Paris Principles.

Today, UNSMIL DSRSG-P @StephanieKoury1 met with representatives of the Fezzan Women’s Political Movement. Discussions highlighted women’s political participation, local governance, education, electoral inclusion, and the need for stronger networks connecting women across the region. Participants stressed that the South is diverse and cannot be represented by a single voice, calling for meaningful inclusion of women in shaping Libya’s future.

Today, SRSG @HannaTetteh met in Paris with French Special Envoy Paul Soler, Secretary General Martin Briens, and Counselor Raphael Duizend of the Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs to exchange views on recent political, security, and economic developments in Libya and efforts to advance the Libyan-led and Libyan-owned political process outlined in the UNSMIL roadmap. SRSG Tetteh thanked France for its continued support to UNSMIL and welcomed the adoption of Security Council resolution 2835 renewing the Mission’s mandate. Discussions underscored the need for constructive engagement by all Libyan actors, as well as sustained and coordinated international support to build consensus, unify institutions, and pave the way for national elections.

With Dr. Kamal Abubaker, head of Libya’s missing persons authority GASIMP, discussed progress made in supporting affected families, and way ahead to strengthen our cooperations for the future. With support from @NLambLib, @UNDP and @UNSMILibya are supporting GASIMP's priorities.

Libya has made significant progress in reducing internal displacement. Joined govt & UN partners to discuss next steps on support for families still displaced thru nationally-led #DurableSolutions#. @UNDP & @UNmigration work with govt to provide housing, services & livelihoods.

Twenty-four young men and women from 18 municipalities across Libya’s Western Mountains called for greater youth representation in political decision-making, increased opportunities for women and a stronger role for local governance during a meeting with the Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Political Affairs, Stephanie Koury, yesterday. The meeting brought together members of the Youth Union of Jabal, a youth-led initiative established in 2017 to promote cooperation and reconciliation between communities. Participants stressed that young people must be recognized as partners in finding solutions to Libya’s political challenges, rather than excluded from decisions affecting their future. “As young people in Libyan society, we often feel reluctant to engage with others about the state of our country. We feel embarrassed that, to date, we have been unable to reach an agreement. We need assurances and guarantees that will help ensure the current roadmap does not fail,” said one participant during a discussion on the outcomes of the Structured Dialogue and the next steps in the political roadmap process. Female participants also emphasized the importance of ensuring that women, including those from cultural components, have meaningful opportunities to contribute to political discussions, reconciliation and decision-making. They called for increased training and capacity-building opportunities from the UN to strengthen women's participation and leadership. “We need women who are educated and able to be partners in decision-making," said one participant. "We cannot build the future of Libya without half of the society. When you empower women, you are not only changing the life of one woman, but you are also expanding the horizons of an entire community,” she added. Read more:

Yesterday, I met with a group of young men and women from the Western Mountains to discuss the outcomes of the Structured Dialogue, the agreement of the Smaller Convening and the importance of advancing the political process to achieve unified institutions and national elections. We also discussed the different ways youth can engage in the political process. They requested increased youth representation and highlighted the important role youth can play in national reconciliation and finding a way out of the political deadlock. They also expressed their frustrations at the impact of the political deadlock and slowness at finding a solution, the rising prices impacting families, the challenges with healthcare and education, and stressed how much they want a Libya which supports everyone to have a prosperous future. UNSMIL is continuing to engage youth from across the country to ensure their voices and concerns are heard in relation to the political process and meeting the needs of the youth.

Yesterday, Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Political Affairs @stephaniekoury1 met with the Head of Libya’s General Authority for the Search and Identification of Missing Persons (GASIMP), Dr. Kamal Abubaker, to discuss their work in locating and identifying missing persons, as well as the challenges that remain. The discussion covered the significant work undertaken and the needs of GASIMP in addressing cases in Tarhouna and Murzuq, identifying victims of the 2023 Derna disaster, and resolving other cases stemming from years of armed conflict across Libya. Both sides stressed the importance of advancing this work to clarify the fate and whereabouts of missing persons, uphold families’ rights to truth and justice, and ensure that these efforts contribute to broader transitional justice and national reconciliation in Libya. The UN is proud of its longstanding support to GASIMP through the joint UNSMIL-UNDP Missing Persons Programme and remains committed to strengthening this partnership.

The United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) convened today the Berlin Process Economic Working Group (EWG) Plenary at its premises in Tripoli, bringing together Libyan institutions, member states and international and regional organizations to discuss Libya’s pressing economic and financial challenges and explore coordinated support for Libyan-led reforms. In her opening remarks, SRSG Hanna Tetteh noted that despite favourable energy prices in 2026, Libya faces growing economic pressures, including excessive public spending, dinar depreciation and declining purchasing power, with the Libyan people bearing the brunt. She warned that weak economic governance, political interference in sovereign economic and oversight institutions, and illicit activities, including fuel smuggling and money laundering, continue to divert billions of dollars away from the Libyan people and undermine economic and financial stability. Stressing the close links between economic governance and Libya's broader political process, the SRSG called for concrete, coordinated action to strengthen institutional accountability, safeguard public resources and ensure that Libya's national wealth benefits all Libyans. The meeting was co-chaired by Egypt, the United States, the European Union and UNSMIL, with participation from Libya’s National Audit Bureau and the National Oil Corporation. In addition to the co-chairs, international participants joining in person and online included representatives of Algeria, France, Germany, Italy, Morocco, the Netherlands, Qatar, Russia, Spain, Türkiye, Tunisia, the United Arab Emirates and the United Kingdom, as well as the Arab League and the African Union. Discussions focused on measures necessary to enhancing transparency and oversight of public resources, safeguarding key sovereign institutions, and addressing illicit economic and financial activities, including fuel smuggling, illicit financial flows and money laundering, in view of strengthening economic governance for the Libyan people. Participants also listened to presentations by representatives of Libyan institutions on Libya’s ongoing reform efforts in the oil and banking sectors, implementation challenges and areas where coordinated international support could add value. The plenary underscored the urgency of reforms and close cooperation with national institutions, and considered practical follow-up priorities for international stakeholders to support fiscal stability, institutional coherence and coordination, transparency and accountable economic governance, under the shared objective of ensuring that Libya’s national wealth serves the interests of all Libyans. 🔗 Read SRSG Hanna Tetteh’s opening remarks at Economic Working Group plenary meeting:

Yesterday, Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Political Affairs, @stephaniekoury1 met with the House of Representatives' First Deputy Speaker, Tarek Al-Ashtar, and several other members of parliament to discuss progress in the UN-facilitated political process, including the Smaller Convening Agreement, the unification of Libyan institutions, critical economic reforms, and national reconciliation. Both sides stressed the importance of constructive engagement in overcoming obstacles to the UN-facilitated political roadmap. DSRSG-P Koury reaffirmed UNSMIL's commitment to continue working with Libya's institutions to advance the roadmap, support the unification of state institutions, and foster conditions conducive to holding national elections.

Members of the Smaller Convening held today in London their third follow-up meeting to review the implementation of their Agreement, signed on 30 August in Tripoli. They also continued discussions on issues essential to holding presidential and legislative elections. During the meeting, chaired by the Special Representative of the Secretary-General, Hanna Tetteh, participants underscored the critical importance of unifying the judiciary to ensure successful and credible elections whose results are accepted by all. Members of the Smaller Convening reaffirmed their full respect for the neutrality and independence of the judiciary. In this regard, they agreed to broaden consultations with the various components of the judicial community to identify solutions that would enable a unified judicial institution to play its role in ensuring the success of the electoral process. Participants also reaffirmed their commitment to continuing engagement with all political actors to build support for the 30 August Agreement and pave the way for presidential and parliamentary elections in accordance with what was agreed. The participants concluded the meeting by agreeing to reconvene in two weeks.

UN Security Council Press Statement on Libya The members of the Security Council welcomed the signing on 30 August 2026 of the agreement of the Libyan parties within the ‘Smaller Convening’, facilitated by the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL), on the reconstitution of the Board of the High National Elections Commission and amendments to the electoral framework for the holding of parliamentary and presidential elections within two years. This agreement represents an important step towards delivering free, fair, transparent and inclusive national elections and advancing the unification of Libya’s institutions to fulfil the aspirations of the Libyan people. The members of the Security Council commended the Libyan parties for their constructive engagement, underlined the importance of this agreement being supported by all Libyan stakeholders and encouraged them to work towards its implementation. The members of the Security Council reiterated their full support for UNSMIL and the Special Representative of the Secretary-General (SRSG) for Libya, Hanna Tetteh, including UNSMIL’s political roadmap announced on 21 August 2025. They therefore urged all Libyan stakeholders to engage fully, seriously, and without delay with the SRSG’s efforts, including on progressing the political roadmap. They also expressed support for UNSMIL and the SRSG’s continued engagement with Libyan stakeholders on an inclusive political process. The members of the Security Council called for further steps to strengthen the implementation of the unified spending framework for the current year announced on 11 April 2026. They also noted the importance of progress towards the unification of all institutions, including military and security institutions, and a unified executive authority. The members of the Security Council reaffirmed their strong commitment to the central role of the United Nations in facilitating an inclusive Libyan-led and Libyan-owned political process, supported by the international community. They also reaffirmed their respect for the sovereignty, independence, territorial integrity and national unity of Libya, and the need to refrain from external interference.

UNSMIL welcomes the signing of an agreement on Libya’s electoral framework and next steps towards national elections TRIPOLI, 30 August 2026 - The United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) today hosted the signing of the agreement of the Smaller Convening, marking an important step toward advancing Libya’s political process and creating the conditions for national elections. The agreement, reached through the UN-facilitated Smaller Convening, addresses the first two milestones of the Mission’s political roadmap: the reconstitution of the Board of Commissioners of the High National Elections Commission (HNEC) and the resolution of outstanding issues in the constitutional and legal framework for presidential and legislative elections. The agreement provides for adjustments to the electoral framework, including arrangements for presidential and legislative elections under a single executive authority, and commits the parties to work toward holding the elections within a period not exceeding 24 months. It also establishes arrangements for national endorsement by the House of Representatives and the High Council of State within one month and a follow-up mechanism to support implementation of the agreement. The signing ceremony was attended by the H.E. Musa Al Koni, member of the Presidency Council, members of the House of Representatives, and members of the High Council of State. The event was also attended by members of the International Follow-up Committee on Libya of the Berlin Process, underscoring the international community’s support for a Libyan-led and Libyan-owned political process and for the holding of credible, inclusive and peaceful elections. “Today’s signing represents an important step in overcoming the political and institutional impasse that has delayed Libya’s electoral process,” SRSG Hanna Tetteh said in her remarks at the signing ceremony. “The agreement demonstrates what can be achieved when Libyans constructively engage in dialogue and seek practical and implementable solutions to outstanding issues.” “The responsibility now is to translate this agreement into concrete action-through its national endorsement, implementation of the agreed electoral framework, and continued efforts to create the institutional and political conditions necessary for credible elections. The United Nations will continue to facilitate and support this process, while the ownership of Libya’s political future remains firmly with the Libyan people,” Tetteh said. Acknowledging the great efforts of the two delegations of the Smaller Convening, UNSMIL stressed that the signing is not the end of Libya’s political process, but an important step toward its next phase. The Mission will continue working with Libyan stakeholders to support implementation of the agreement and advance the unification of state institutions capable of leading the country towards elections. The United Nations calls on all Libyan institutions and political actors to engage constructively with the agreement, uphold their commitments and prioritize the national interest and the right of the Libyan people to choose their representatives through credible and inclusive elections. Download the signed agreement: