Libya's prolonged political transition is fuelling mounting public anger, with widespread electricity shortages, water disruptions and economic turmoil compounding the consequences of institutional division, the head of the UN Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) told the Security Council. "The need to move Libya's political process forward remains crucial," said Hanna Serwaa Tetteh, Special Representative of the Secretary-General, presenting the Secretary-General's latest report covering the period from 1 April to 28 July 2026.
Tetteh said Libya's challenges extend beyond political disagreements and directly affect the state's capacity to provide basic services, manage resources responsibly and ensure security. In July and August, extensive electricity blackouts disrupted power and water supplies for hundreds of thousands of people, following fuel shortages, declining gas supplies and mounting pressure on an already fragile electricity network, conditions exacerbated by a prolonged heatwave.
The situation has exposed what Tetteh described as "a striking paradox": according to data from Libya's National Oil Corporation, approximately $1 billion is spent monthly on fuel imports, yet electricity systems remain vulnerable to fuel shortages. She pointed to evidence of large-scale diversion of subsidised fuel in the electricity and security sectors, calling it "an unacceptable abuse of public resources" and stressing the need for stronger oversight, accountability and coordination.
Despite this, Tetteh reported progress on the UNSMIL-facilitated three-track road map, launched a year ago. A "Small Convening" — also known as the "4+4 committee" — has met seven times since its inaugural session on 29 April and is addressing contentious legal and constitutional issues related to elections, with its next meeting set for 20 August. A Structured Dialogue process concluded successfully in June, producing recommendations covering governance, economic management, security, reconciliation and human rights. UNSMIL will continue to engage with Libyan stakeholders, Council members and other partners as it prepares the next stage of the road map.
Civil society representative Nissa Bek also briefed the Council, warning that protests had erupted across Tripoli and other cities during a heatwave that reached 50°C. She framed the electricity crisis as "an expression of a much deeper loss of confidence in the ability of the State to provide basic services," noting that Libya — described as one of Africa's most energy-rich countries — still cannot reliably provide electricity for its own citizens. "That is a question of governance," she stressed, urging the UN to incorporate climate and environmental risk analysis into its Libya work and to support the protection of critical civilian infrastructure and locally led peacebuilding efforts.
Tetteh also voiced concern over the fragile security situation along Libya's western coast, citing heavy clashes among armed groups and civilian casualties. She strongly condemned the assassination of Fawzi Mansuri, Director of Military Intelligence for the Libyan National Army, in a reported car bombing. She further flagged growing instances of hate speech, intimidation and misinformation targeting migrants and women, including a widely circulated video showing the public flogging of a woman in Sabha.
Several verified sources, together with artificial intelligence, were used in the preparation of this article. The content was reviewed by our editorial team prior to publication. Disclosure provided in accordance with Article 50 of the EU Artificial Intelligence Act (AI Act).
