Abdoulaye Bathily, who served as the Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Libya and led the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL), has resigned to Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.
In a statement on Tuesday, Bathily attributed his decision to the significant obstacles he faced during his mediation efforts.
Bathily expressed his frustration at encountering what he described as “persistent resistance, unrealistic demands and disregard for the welfare of the Libyan people” in his efforts to facilitate dialogue and address relevant issues.
Call for political solution
Abdoulaye Bathily, who took office in September 2022, stressed the critical necessity for Libyan leaders to reach a political solution through dialogue and negotiations.
He underlined the need to put the wishes of the 2.8 million registered Libyan voters above the narrow interests of a privileged minority.
Bathily’s departure sparks worries
Abdoulaye Bathily’s resignation sparked worries about the direction of U.N. mediation efforts in Libya and the persistence of the search for political stability in the conflict-ridden country.
Bathily’s departure has also raised questions about the stability of UNSMIL’s leadership and the likely trajectory of diplomatic efforts to resolve the Libyan crisis.
The exact timing of Bathily’s formal resignation has not been announced, creating uncertainty about the transition process and potential successors to lead UNSMIL.