This week saw two key developments in the international community’s attempts to mediate the Libya conflict with the appointment of a new head of UNSMIL and the LPDF’s agreement on a mechanism for selecting the reformed Presidential Council.
On 15 January, the UN Security Council (UNSC) approved Jan Kubis, the UN’s current Special Co-ordinator for Lebanon, as the new Special Representative (SRSG) and Head of the UN Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) to replace Stephanie Williams. The UN has not yet indicated when Kubis will take up the post or what other reorganisations of the role this will entail.
On 19 January, the UN Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) announced that the Libyan Political Dialogue Forum (LPDF) had approved the LPDF Advisory Committee’s recommendation for a mechanism for selecting the reformed Presidential Council and new executive authority in Libya. Of the 75 members of the LPDF, 72 members engaged in the voting, with 51 voting in favour of the proposed mechanism and 19 members voting against. Two members abstained and three others did not engage in the process.