“Their inability to use the agreed mechanism and follow through on unilateral actions has further eroded their credibility,” he said, noting that Libyan public perceptions reflect a growing belief that agencies are “unable or unwilling” to comply.
Ms Tetteh said she has initiated consultations with key stakeholders on an alternative two-step approach aimed at restoring momentum. If a smaller group of Libyan representatives fails to agree on the roadmap’s milestones, he warned, a broader convening would be required. “We cannot wait indefinitely,” he emphasized.
judicial division
The UN envoy issued a stern warning about escalating tensions within Libya’s judicial system.
After the House of Representatives established a Supreme Constitutional Court in Benghazi in 2023, it began issuing rulings parallel to those of the Constitutional Chamber of the Supreme Court in Tripoli, generating conflicting rulings on key constitutional and legislative issues.
“These contradictory and parallel judicial decisions endanger the unity of the legal and judicial systems.” Ms. Tetteh declared, warning that the situation “is a red line that, if crossed, can undermine the unity of the State.”
He urged Libyan leaders to refrain from taking further escalatory measures and called on the Council to hold accountable those who take actions that threaten to fracture the judiciary.
Economic pressures deepen
Libyans face worsening living conditions due to currency devaluation, rising prices and persistent fuel shortages, the envoy reported.
The Central Bank’s decision in January to devalue the dinar for the second time in nine months (almost 15 percent) is aimed at easing currency pressures, but is “affecting the purchasing power of vulnerable households,” he said.
With parallel institutions operating without a unified budget, public spending remains “rigid and largely unproductive.” Nearly 80 percent of expenses are consumed by salaries and subsidies, leaving little room for investment or recovery efforts, he added.
While recent licensing deals in the hydrocarbon sector suggest a degree of renewed investor interest, they are unlikely to ease fiscal pressures this year.
Security and human rights concerns
Ms Tetteh warned that transnational criminal networks continue to expand, turning Libya into a major transit hub for drug trafficking and supporting illicit economies linked to corruption and armed groups.
A joint report released on February 17 by the High Commissioner for Human Rights and the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) highlighted serious abuses associated with human trafficking. In recent weeks, the bodies of 21 migrants were found in a mass grave in Ajdabiya, while more than 400 others, including women and children, were released from detention facilities with signs of torture.
“These incidents are not isolated,” he said, urging Libyan authorities and international partners to dismantle trafficking networks and bring perpetrators to justice.
Ms Tetteh also highlighted ongoing targeted killings, referring to the death of Saif al-Islam Gaddafi, who was subject to an arrest warrant from the International Criminal Court (ICC), in early February. He called for a transparent investigation.
“The only way forward is a political solution”
Closing her briefing, Ms Tetteh warned that deteriorating economic conditions, rising poverty and a fragile security environment could trigger “unexpected political and security challenges”.
“The main cause of this dysfunction,” he said, “is a divided government, with limited coordination and unilateral actions on both sides.”
He urged all Libyan actors, supported by coordinated international engagement, to return to a political process capable of restoring unified governance. “The support of this Council remains a prerequisite for success,” he concluded.