Tetteh: Libya’s institutions “past their sell-by date”

UN Special Envoy to Libya, Hanna Tetteh, has stated that all Libyan institutions have exceeded their original mandates regarding legitimacy, according to an interview published on the UN Mission’s website.

Tetteh emphasised that the priority in Libya is ensuring those in supervisory positions understand their responsibility to allow elections to take place. She explained that successful elections require multiple elements and are not an end in themselves, but rather a means to achieve a stable government with a clear mandate and public trust.

The envoy identified that the core issue lies with the main political actors in leadership positions within governing institutions like the House of Representatives and the High Council of State, noting an ongoing dispute over the presidency of the latter that affects its effectiveness.

“Actors in both the east and west may not see elections as being in their interest,” Tetteh stated, stressing the need for the UN mission to address their concerns and develop a roadmap that incorporates solutions to encourage participation in the electoral process.

On economic matters, Tetteh expressed the mission’s readiness to work with all parties to reach an agreement on a unified national budget. She called for better organisation of public financial management to ensure delivery of services to citizens, noting that Libya has sufficient resources to provide a comfortable standard of living.

The envoy reaffirmed that a political agreement is essential to move forward and form a government with a popular mandate capable of making key decisions, restructuring security institutions, and fulfilling the aspirations of the Libyan people.

Tetteh committed to working with both Libyan stakeholders and the international community to implement a roadmap leading to elections, emphasising that political stability must come through united efforts.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​