Pakistan Calls for unity and elections as Libya’s political impasse deepens

• Ambassador Asim Ahmad urges sustained engagement with all Libyan stakeholders

• Reiterates firm support for Libyan-led, Libyan-owned political process with roadmap’s key goals: election rules, unified government and inclusive national dialogue

• Notes security gains, but full implementation of arrangements still needed

 UNITED NATIONS: With Libya’s political process still at a deadlock and pressures mounting nationwide, Pakistan has renewed calls for concerted efforts to advance unity, stability, and credible elections.

“We underscore the importance of sustained engagement with all Libyan stakeholders to move the political process forward and deliver tangible peace dividends for all citizens,” Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad, Pakistan’s permanent representative to the United Nations, told the UN Security Council during a meeting on the UN Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) on Wednesday.

Since the 2011 uprising that ended the long rule of Muammar Qadaffi, successive efforts to establish unified governance in Libya have been repeatedly undermined by institutional fragmentation and rival authorities.

Despite a 2020 ceasefire that curtailed large-scale hostilities, divisions between competing administrations persist. UN-led mediation through UNSMIL continues to seek consensus on a constitutional basis and electoral framework, following last year’s political roadmap. The roadmap focuses on three main goals: agreeing on election rules for presidential and parliamentary polls, forming a unified government, and holding an inclusive national dialogue addressing governance, the economy, security, and reconciliation.

In his remarks, Ambassador Asim Ahmad reaffirmed Pakistan’s firm support for a Libyan-led and Libyan-owned political process, emphasizing it remains the only viable pathway to sustainable peace and prosperity in the country.

Highlighting the slow progress on the roadmap’s initial priority actions—particularly the reconstitution of the Board of the High National Elections Commission (HNEC) and constitutional and legal amendments for elections—the Pakistani envoy said Pakistan values efforts to build consensus for a stable and secure Libya.

“We welcome all good-faith initiatives by regional and international partners supporting the UN, promoting consolidation and unification,” Ambassador Asim Ahmad added.

On the security front, he noted that continued engagement among Libyan stakeholders, backed by UNSMIL and international partners, has contributed to relative calm. “Efforts must continue to foster dialogue among all concerned parties to ensure the full implementation of agreed security arrangements and sustained progress in security sector reform,” he said.

The envoy also commended mediation by Libyan stakeholders to resolve issues concerning the constitutional judiciary, including the formation of a committee of eminent Libyan legal experts to guide the process.

On the economic track, he stressed that economic stability is central to achieving lasting peace in Libya. “Growing international interest in the energy sector, as well as other key industries, reflects renewed confidence in Libya’s economic potential,” he said, urging sustained institutional cooperation—particularly the adoption of a unified national budget and strengthened economic governance.

Pakistan also reiterated the importance of safeguarding Libya’s frozen assets and ensuring their reinvestment for the benefit of the Libyan people, in line with UN Security Council resolution 2769. “Continued engagement between Libyan institutions and international financial bodies is essential to ensure transparent and effective management of these assets,” Ambassador Asim Ahmad said.

At the outset, Hanna Serwaa Tetteh, Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Libya and Head of UNSMIL, told the 15-member Security Council that there has been “no meaningful progress” between the House of Representatives and the High Council of State in completing the first two steps of the roadmap, despite UNSMIL’s facilitation.

Ms. Tetteh warned that this deadlock has further eroded the credibility of both institutions and reinforced public perceptions that they are “unable or unwilling” to meet critical milestones necessary for elections. She said a small group of stakeholders is being consulted to resolve the impasse, adding, “Should this group fail to agree, a broader convening will be necessary to take forward the implementation of the Roadmap.”

The UN envoy highlighted that Libya’s situation is deteriorating, with competing constitutional authorities operating in parallel in Tripoli and Benghazi, issuing contradictory rulings and creating disputes over judicial administration that threaten the legal system’s effectiveness and obstruct the UN-facilitated political process.

Economic hardships are also deepening, marked by currency devaluation, rising prices, fuel shortages, and growing public discontent. Uncoordinated spending and declining oil revenues are creating foreign-currency imbalances and straining reserves. The Central Bank’s 18 January devaluation of the Libyan dinar by around 14.7% has significantly reduced the purchasing power of vulnerable households, Ms. Tetteh noted.