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UN Mission Holds Consultations to Solve Issues Blocking Progress Toward Elections in Libya

Head of UNSMIL Hanna Tetteh and her deputy, Stephanie Koury, hold meetings in Zintan and Misrata (UNSMIL)
Head of UNSMIL Hanna Tetteh and her deputy, Stephanie Koury, hold meetings in Zintan and Misrata (UNSMIL)
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UN Mission Holds Consultations to Solve Issues Blocking Progress Toward Elections in Libya

Head of UNSMIL Hanna Tetteh and her deputy, Stephanie Koury, hold meetings in Zintan and Misrata (UNSMIL)
Head of UNSMIL Hanna Tetteh and her deputy, Stephanie Koury, hold meetings in Zintan and Misrata (UNSMIL)

The United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) on Saturday held consultations with key officials in Libya’s Zintan and Misrata to discuss the recommendations of the Advisory Committee to resolve key contentious issues that are blocking progress toward elections.

In Misrata, head of UNSMIL, Hanna Tetteh, and her deputy, Stephanie Koury, met with mayor Mahmoud Al Soqatri, municipal council officials, House of Representative and High Council of State members, in addition to civil society representatives, youth and the Military Zone Commander of the Central Zone and member of the Truce Committee, Lieutenant General Mohamed Musa.

“The price paid by Libyans across the country from continued political deadlock has been too high,” Tetteh said. “The Advisory Committee has now finished, and their recommendations are public. It is now that the real work begins to find a way forward for an inclusive political process,” she added.

The meetings in both cities are part of a series of community consultations which will take place across the country as the Mission starts a public consultation process on the Advisory Committee recommendations in Libya.

The community engagements will be held online and in towns and cities across the country by the Mission to gather the views of a wide range of people, including community leaders, notables, youth, women, cultural components those with disabilities, military leaders and elected officials, UNSMIL said in a statement.

“Discussions across all meetings focused extensively on the recent clashes in Tripoli and their potential implication for stability in the western region,” Tetteh said during her visits in Misrata and Zintan.

She added that participants emphasized the urgent need for political, social and economic inclusivity, and the need to implement robust ceasefire and security arrangements.

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Arab World

Muted Responses to Deadly Houthi Escalation and Rising Insurance Costs

The Greek ship Magic Seas sank in the Red Sea as a result of Houthi attacks (Reuters). 
The Greek ship Magic Seas sank in the Red Sea as a result of Houthi attacks (Reuters). 
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Muted Responses to Deadly Houthi Escalation and Rising Insurance Costs

The Greek ship Magic Seas sank in the Red Sea as a result of Houthi attacks (Reuters). 
The Greek ship Magic Seas sank in the Red Sea as a result of Houthi attacks (Reuters). 

As the Houthi threat to international shipping grows ever more serious - most recently with the sinking of two Greek vessels, killing three sailors and leaving twelve missing - there has been little substantial reaction from major world powers. The United States, Germany’s foreign minister, and the UN envoy to Yemen were among the few to voice concern and call for de-escalation.

While Houthi attacks intensify across the Red Sea and the Arabian Sea, insurance premiums for commercial ships in these waters have surged to as much as 1% of a vessel’s value, according to leading global insurers. This underscores the scale of the risk and the declining confidence in protecting this vital maritime corridor.

The two assaults targeted the cargo ships Magic Seas and True Confidence between Sunday and Tuesday last week. According to the EU naval mission Aspides, tasked with safeguarding Red Sea navigation, the attacks killed at least three sailors, wounded others, and left a dozen unaccounted for.

The strike on the Liberian-flagged Greek-operated True Confidence marked a dangerous escalation. The Houthis claimed responsibility, saying they used an explosive-laden drone boat and six ballistic and cruise missiles. They alleged the ship was heading to Israel’s port of Eilat, though independent verification was lacking.

Despite the scale of the violence, most global capitals limited their responses to brief statements. Only the US ambassador to the UN issued a pointed condemnation, along with remarks from a State Department spokesperson and a statement by UN envoy Hans Grundberg.

The US denounced the attacks as “terrorist and unjustified,” describing them as evidence of the “ongoing threat posed by Iranian-backed Houthis to regional maritime security and commerce.” The US ambassador stressed Washington’s commitment to denying the Houthis resources to fund such operations and called on the UN Security Council to remove obstacles blocking its expert monitoring teams in Yemen.

The State Department likewise condemned the attacks as a threat to the freedom of navigation and economic stability. “We will continue to take necessary steps to protect commercial shipping,” the statement warned, urging the broader international community to condemn the Houthis’ actions.

Germany’s Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul said Iran must use its influence to halt Houthi attacks. Speaking in Vienna alongside his Israeli and Austrian counterparts, he declared: “We strongly condemn these attacks and expect Iran to act to stop them.”

UN envoy Grundberg expressed deep concern about the sinking of True Confidence, warning of the humanitarian and environmental consequences of such operations, which violate international law and Security Council Resolution 2722. He urged the Houthis to provide sustainable guarantees to end attacks and build on prior understandings with the United States.

Oman had brokered a limited agreement last May under which the Houthis pledged to stop targeting American ships in return for a suspension of broad US-led military action - though the deal excluded Israel.

A Dangerous Precedent

Yemeni officials say the tepid reactions from much of the world send the Houthis the wrong message, reinforcing their sense of impunity. On Thursday, Houthi leader Abdul Malik al-Houthi boasted in his weekly address about sinking the vessels, calling it a “clear lesson” to any shipping company doing business with Israel.

Since November 2023, the Houthis have carried out over 150 attacks, disrupting global trade flows through the Red Sea. Their operations have sunk British and Greek ships and damaged many more, including hijacking the Galaxy Leader and holding its crew for over a year.