Panafrican News Agency

Guterres reiterates support for UN mission to break deadlock in Libya

Tripoli, Libya (PANA) - UN Secretary-General António Guterres has reiterated his strong support for efforts of the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) to facilitate the political process to end the impasse in the North African country.

He was speaking during a meeting with the acting head of UNSMIL, Ms. Stephanie Khoury, on Monday at the UN headquarters in New York, according to a statement published the UN mission.

It said Mr. Guterres and Ms. Khoury also discussed the evolving political and security situation in Libya.

The Libyan House of Representatives and the High Council of State a few days ago reached an agreement, under the auspices of the UNSMIL, to end the crisis at the Central Bank of Libya (CBL), leading to the appointment of Naji Issa as Governor of the Bank and Marai al-Barassi as Deputy Governor.

The crisis that rocked the CBL for several weeks, after the Libyan Presidential Council named a new Governor and Board of Directors, accentuated the volatile political crisis.

The Security Council is due to renew the mandate of UNSMIL, which expires on 31 October.

The Council is scheduled to hold a session on the situation in Libya on 9 October, during which Ms. Khoury will present a report on recent political, security and humanitarian developments in the country.

The Security Council may renew the mission's mandate in light of the increasingly volatile political and security situation.
-0- PANA BY/JSG/MA 8Oct2024