Head of self-declared Libyan government announced in Geneva as UN distances itself

In a surprise development that triggered widespread debate, participants in a political forum held in Geneva, Switzerland, on Friday announced the selection of Mustafa Al-Majdoub to head what they described as a “unified Libyan government,” as part of an initiative whose organizers said seeks to launch a new political process outside UN auspices.

The announcement came without prior notice or any publicly declared political consensus among Libya’s rival parties. Participants said the initiative is rooted in what they described as the “pure will of the Libyan people” and is based on a preparatory committee of 60 figures representing Libya’s three historical regions, with 20 representatives from each region. The committee includes members of political parties, civil society organizations, and women representatives.

The move immediately raised questions over its legal and political foundation, particularly in the absence of any official recognition from the Libyan authorities or the international community, and amid uncertainty over the announced government’s mandate and how it would function.

In the first UN reaction to the gathering, Mohamed Al-Asadi, spokesperson for the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL), told Libya Al-Ahrar TV that the mission “has no connection with the Geneva meetings or their organizers,” firmly denying any link between UNSMIL and either the forum or its outcomes.

So far, neither the Libyan authorities nor any international body has recognized the government announced by the participants. No legal framework underpinning its establishment, nor the nature of the powers it intends to exercise, has been made public.