The extension decision did not address the restructuring of the mission due to differences between the representatives of the Member States regarding the appointment of a new special envoy and the prerogatives he should have
The UN Security Council on Monday adopted a British resolution to extend the mandate of the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) until April 30.
The members of the Council voted unanimously (15 countries), during an open session at the United Nations headquarters in New York, a resolution drawn up by the United Kingdom, which provides, in response to the request of Russia, a “technical extension” of the mission’s mandate for only 3 months, i.e. until April 30, 2022.
The resolution, of which Anadolu Agency obtained a copy, did not address the issue of the restructuring of the UN mission, due to differences between representatives of member states over the appointment of a new special envoy and the prerogatives it should have.
Today’s extension decision is the third taken by the Council since mid-September, when it decided on a technical extension of the mission for a period of only two weeks and then gave its agreement to the end of the same month to extend the mission’s mandate until 31 January.
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres last Thursday called on the Security Council for “unity and clarity” on the extension of UNSMIL’s mandate.
Guterres’ call came hours after a session that was to be devoted to voting on the extension draft resolution was postponed after Russia submitted a counter-draft requesting that the extension goes until next April in September, which was foreseen in the original British draft resolution.
During the current session of the Council, a number of representatives of member states, including the ambassadors of the United States, Russia, and France, called on Guterres to appoint a special envoy to Libya “as soon as possible. deadlines,” according to the Anadolu Agency correspondent.
On December 6, Antonio Guterres appointed the former acting head of the UN mission in the capital, Tripoli, Stephanie Williams, to the post of special adviser for Libya.
The appointment of Stephanie Williams came just four days before the resignation of the UN special envoy to the country, Jan Kubis, took effect.
Due to differences between the official Libyan institutions on the electoral law and the role of the judiciary in the electoral process, it was not possible to hold the presidential and legislative elections which were scheduled for December 24. No new date for the polling has been agreed to date.
