Johannesburg – A political solution to Libya’s ongoing crisis remains out of reach in the near future, despite efforts by the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL), says the UN Libya Expert Panel.
“Military dynamics in Libya and conflicting regional agendas show a lack of commitment to a peaceful solution,” said the Panel in a report which covers the period up to December 15 last year.
According to the report Libya’s and regional stability are increasingly linked, notably due to the growing involvement of foreign armed groups from Sudan and Chad.
This was obvious when the Sudan Liberation Army/Minni Minawi launched an attack in Darfur, Sudan in May 2017, before returning to Libya. The expanding territorial presence of foreign armed groups has also contributed to the North African country’s instability.
The Islamic State (IS) continues to operate in central and southern Libya despite being defeated in the coastal city of Sirte, the former city of the late leader Muammar Gaddafi. The group is also involved in smuggling.
Diversion of public funds, the lack of governance and inability to address Libya’s economy are spurring popular discontent and distrust towards Libya’s political elites, the Panel’s report stated.
Human rights also continue to deteriorate with arbitrary detentions, kidnappings and other severe violations of human rights and international humanitarian law as well as the rise in human trafficking often carried out by militia groups affiliated with Libya’s two government’s vying for control of the oil-rich country.