The UN Security Council discusses the situation in Libya every two months. The United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) has been active in the country since the fall of Muammar al-Gaddafi's authoritarian regime in 2011. UNSMIL's tasks include supporting the Libyan government in establishing the rule of law and organising democratic elections.
The most recent elections, scheduled for December 2021, have been postponed indefinitely, as no consensus could be reached between the various Libyan actors on the electoral laws. "It is imperative that the outstanding issues are addressed. In order to create the necessary environment for free and fair elections, the actors involved must come to an agreement in the run-up to the elections," explained Riccarda Chanda, Switzerland's deputy head of mission at the UN in New York. To this end, Switzerland supports UNSMIL, including in its role as co-chair of the Berlin Process working group on international humanitarian law and human rights. The Berlin Process was launched in January 2020 to achieve a lasting ceasefire in Libya.
According to UN Secretary-General Guterres, the human rights situation in Libya is increasingly deteriorating. Excessive controls and bureaucratic restrictions imposed on civil society by the authorities and security actors are on the rise. "Switzerland supports the Secretary-General's call for these measures to be lifted," underlined Switzerland's representative on the Security Council. Furthermore, Switzerland is concerned about violations of the rights and abuse of women and girls; such abuses must not go unpunished. Addressing the Libyan authorities, Switzerland stressed in the UN Security Council that the participation of women in political processes must be safe and without intimidation. To this end, their freedom of movement and respect for their fundamental rights must also be guaranteed. Switzerland also expressed its concern about the recent violent clashes in Tripoli, in which people lost their lives. It calls on all parties to respect international humanitarian law and human rights at all times.
