Security Council Extends Mandate of UN Mission to Libya for 12 Months

Libyans shop at a market in Tripoli on October 5, 2022. (AFP)
Libyans shop at a market in Tripoli on October 5, 2022. (AFP)
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Security Council Extends Mandate of UN Mission to Libya for 12 Months

Libyans shop at a market in Tripoli on October 5, 2022. (AFP)
Libyans shop at a market in Tripoli on October 5, 2022. (AFP)

The Security Council voted unanimously Friday to extend the UN Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) for a year and urged key institutions and parties in the divided north African country to agree on a roadmap to deliver presidential and parliamentary elections as soon as possible.

The resolution adopted by the UN's most powerful body urged “dialogue, compromise and constructive engagement” aimed at forming “a unified Libyan government able to govern across the country and representing the whole people of Libya.”

The resolution reaffirmed the Security Council’s “strong commitment to an inclusive Libyan-led and Libyan-owned political process, facilitated by the United Nations and supported by the international community,” that leads to elections as soon as possible. It backs the resumption of efforts to resume intra-Libya talks to create conditions for presidential and parliamentary elections.

The members of the Council welcomed the appointment of Abdoulaye Bathily as Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Libya and Head of UNSMIL.

The Council acknowledged the “significant role” of regional organizations including the Arab League and the European Union, calling on all relevant Libyan institutions to carry out confidence building measures to successfully hold the elections.

Libya’s current political crisis stems from the failure to hold elections in December 2021 and the refusal of Abdul Hamid al-Dbeibah, who led a transitional Government of National Unity (GNU) in the capital, Tripoli, in the country’s west, to step down.

In response, the country’s east-based parliament appointed a rival prime minister, Fathi Bashagha, who has for months sought to install his government in Tripoli.

Bathily told the council Monday he plans to follow up on commitments by Libya's political rivals at the end of a meeting last week that reportedly include the need to hold elections and ensure that the country has a single executive power as soon as possible.

He said he plans to talk to leaders of the east-based parliament, the House of Representatives, and west-based High Council of State in the coming weeks “to understand” the agreements announced at the end of their October 21 meeting in the Moroccan capital, Rabat.

According to the Moroccan Press Agency and the North African Post, the speaker of the east-based parliament, Aguila Saleh, and the head of the Supreme Council, Khaled al-Meshri, agreed to implement a mechanism on criteria for leadership positions agreed to at talks in Morocco in October 2020.

Saleh was quoted as saying the rivals also agreed “to ensure that there is a single executive power in Libya as soon as possible” and to relaunch dialogue to achieve an agreement about the holding of presidential and parliamentary elections. The elections need to respect “a clear roadmap and legislation, on the basis of which the polls will be held,” he was quoted as saying at a press briefing after the meeting.

The Security Council's resolution underlined “the importance of an inclusive, comprehensive national dialogue and reconciliation process.”

Council members expressed concern at the security situation in Libya, particularly recurring clashes between armed groups in the Tripoli region that have caused civilian casualties and damaged civilian infrastructure.

They emphasized “that there can be no military solution in Libya” and called on all parties to refrain from violence.



Israel-Iran War Accelerates Departure of Tourists from Lebanon

A billboard on the road to Beirut International Airport promoting tourism in Lebanon (AP).  
A billboard on the road to Beirut International Airport promoting tourism in Lebanon (AP).  
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Israel-Iran War Accelerates Departure of Tourists from Lebanon

A billboard on the road to Beirut International Airport promoting tourism in Lebanon (AP).  
A billboard on the road to Beirut International Airport promoting tourism in Lebanon (AP).  

The outbreak of war between Iran and Israel has turned the hopes of Lebanese for a promising tourism season after thousands of tourists decided to cut short their vacation and return home.

A large number of Arab and foreign tourists were seen at the departure gate at Rafik Hariri International Airport. They fear security developments would lead to a sudden halt of flights, especially after the United States joined the conflict and launched directed strikes on three Iranian nuclear facilities last Saturday.

“After most airlines suspended their flights to Lebanon, thousands of passengers rebooked with the Middle East Airlines to be able to leave Lebanon,” a security source told Asharq Al-Awsat on Monday.

The source said tourists are cutting short their stay as fears grow of a wider conflict in the Middle East.

While officials expected that 120 flights would land daily at the airport in Beirut during the summer season, a source at the airport said, “most airlines have cancelled flights to Beirut due to high security concerns”.

In addition to Lebanese flag carrier, Middle East Airlines (MEA), the source said only five other companies are still operating from Beirut’s airport: Emirates, Fly Dubai, Turkish Airlines, Cyprus Airways and Qatar Airways.

The mass cancellation of flights has mainly affected the tourist season in Lebanon, such as hotels, restaurants and other establishments.

“The tourist season in Lebanon is affected. Thousands of hotel reservations were cancelled as Arab and Gulf nationals hesitate to visit the country due to the ongoing war,” Chairman of the Lebanese Economic Organizations and former Minister Mohammed Choucair told Asharq Al-Awsat.

Choucair said “the promising summer season is much more pessimistic. Things could only change if the war stops in a few days.”

He said most airlines that had planned additional flights to Beirut for the upcoming season have now totally suspended their flights.

Also, the war affected tourism companies, which saw a lower demand on tickets and hotel reservations.

Aimee Achkar, general manager at Tania Travel said the war “has dealt a strong blow to the tourist season in Lebanon. Thousands of reservations were cancelled while Arab and foreign tourists are cutting their holiday short.”

Achkar told Asharq Al-Awsat that in the first quarter of June, incoming flights to Beirut airport dropped from 85 flights a day to between 30 and 35 flights, mostly operated by MEA.

In the tourism sector, hotels have suffered the most.

“The occupancy rate in hotels before June 13 ranged between 80 and 90%. After the outbreak of war, it fell to below 30%,” Achkar said.

She explained that according to pre-bookings, the airport was projected to welcome about 125 flights per day during July and August, while the hotel occupancy rate was about 95%.

Also, President of Lebanese Hotel Association, Pierre Achkar said last week the war between Iran and Israel is already casting a shadow over Lebanon’s tourism sector.
In a statement, Achkar said the closure of regional airspace and the cancellation of incoming flights have begun to take a toll, adding that the aviation sector is facing growing disruption and chaos.

But in return, Lebanese expatriates have not cancelled their tickets back home. They are still holding out hope for an improvement in the situation in the coming weeks.

On Tuesday, US President Donald Trump said that a ceasefire between Israel and Iran has been reached.

A MEA official said flights to Lebanon are fully booked by Lebanese expatriates.

“All flights approved by MEA and foreign airlines are still on their previously scheduled dates,” he said.