UN urges renewed political and climate action in Libya amid humanitarian and governance crises

The United Nations has renewed calls for coordinated international efforts to support Libya’s political transition and address mounting humanitarian and climate-related challenges.

Speaking at a high-level meeting on Libya, Hanna Serwaa Tetteh, the UN Secretary-General’s Special Representative and Head of the UN Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL), hailed the recent revival of the Berlin Process International Follow-up Committee. “The meeting marked a significant shift towards reinvigorating international coordination on Libya and consolidating international support to UN efforts in advancing a political process,” she said, referencing the 20 June gathering in Berlin held after a four-year pause.

Meanwhile, UN officials voiced concern over worsening humanitarian conditions in Libya. Tetteh raised alarms about the discovery of mass graves in Tripoli’s Abu Slim area, citing emerging evidence of “grave human rights violations.” She added that ongoing conflict continues to hinder development and humanitarian operations in the capital.

Guyana’s UN Ambassador Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett highlighted climate vulnerability as another pressing threat. Reflecting on the devastation from 2023’s Storm Daniel in Derna, she emphasized that the disaster was exacerbated by weak governance, outdated infrastructure, and limited preparedness. “The Mediterranean region is warming 20 per cent faster than the global average,” she warned, urging Libyan authorities and partners to unify the national budget and invest in modernizing critical infrastructure like dams.

The meeting underscored the urgent need for international unity in supporting Libya’s recovery, stability, and climate resilience.