Published on : 29/04/2022 – 23:22
Russia is demanding the appointment of a special envoy before agreeing to a one-year extension. The Security Council still suffers from deep differences with regard to this file.
The current mandate of Manul in Libya ended on April 30, but for the fourth time, it was extended for three months only, for lack of appointing a new special envoy. This is the precondition set by Moscow to extend the mission for a year.
Since the resignation of the penultimate special envoy, Ghassan Salamé, in March 2020, there has not even been any front unity on the Libyan file. Washington opposed several candidacies including that of the Algerian Ramtane Lamamra or the Ghanaian Hanna Tetteh.
In January 2021, Yan Kobis is accepted, but he resigns after nine months and just before the date of the presidential and legislative elections scheduled for December. The elections ultimately did not take place.
American diplomat Stephanie Williams, number two in the mission, first assumed the role of acting special envoy, then as special adviser to UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres. A role that does not give him the same prerogatives and that hinders his efforts.
The UN is working through its mission to organize elections which were to bring the country out of a transition period that has lasted since 2011. No new polling date has been found to date.