UN envoy for Libya resigns

UNITED NATIONS - The UN secretary-general's special representative for Libya and head of the UN Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL), Abdoulaye Bathily, has resigned.

Bathily told reporters after briefing the Security Council on Tuesday that he had tendered his resignation to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.

Guterres' press office later confirmed that the UN chief had received the resignation letter and had accepted Bathily's resignation.

"The secretary-general is grateful to Bathily for his leadership of UNSMIL and for his tireless efforts to restore peace and stability to Libya," said the press office. "The secretary-general reiterates the United Nations' commitment to continue to support the Libyan-led and owned political process."

It was not immediately clear when Bathily would leave the job.

In his press encounter, Bathily blamed the lack of political will and good faith by the major Libyan actors, who are comfortable with the current stalemate since 2011, as well as emerging international and regional dynamics where Libya's territory is being used as a site for military confrontation by different nations.

In the current situation, there is no way that the United Nations can operate successfully, he said. "As far as I am concerned I have done my best."

Bathily was appointed to the role in September 2022.