UN Welcomes Libya Deal Paving Way for National Elections

United Nations (TDI): The United Nations Security Council has welcomed an agreement between Libya’s rival political factions that could pave the way for long-delayed national elections within two years.

The UN-backed agreement was signed in Tripoli on August 30 and has been described as an important step toward resolving Libya’s prolonged political deadlock and restoring a unified political system.

France’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Jerome Bonnafont, who is presiding over the Security Council this month, called the agreement an important step toward holding free, fair and transparent elections.

He also said the deal could help advance the unification of Libya’s state institutions and fulfil the aspirations of the Libyan people.

Bonnafont stressed that the agreement must receive support from all Libyan stakeholders and urged the country’s rival political actors to work toward its implementation.

The Security Council also expressed its full support for UN Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Libya, Hanna Tetteh, who is leading international efforts to advance the political process.

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Libya has remained deeply divided since the 2011 NATO-backed uprising that toppled longtime ruler Muammar Qaddafi, with years of conflict and political rivalry preventing the country from holding nationwide elections.

Two rival administrations continue to compete for power. The UN-recognized government is based in Tripoli and led by Prime Minister Abdulhamid Dbeibah, while a rival administration in eastern Libya is backed by military commander Khalifa Haftar.

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The latest agreement builds on a UN roadmap unveiled in August 2025. The plan calls for reforms to Libya’s electoral framework, the unification of divided executive institutions and broader political dialogue among the country’s competing factions.

The United Nations says successful implementation of the roadmap could help create conditions for credible national elections and a more stable political system in Libya.