UN envoy Abdoulaye Bathily throws in the towel – DW – 19.04.2024.

Libya’s presidential and legislative elections were scheduled for December 2021, but have been postponed indefinitely due to differences between the two camps that have assumed leadership in the country: the UN-recognized government of Tripoli, led by Abdelhamid Dbeibah, and Marshal Haftar in Benghazi.

Abdoulaye Bathily condemned the lack of political will and goodwill of Libyan leaders who, according to him, would be satisfied with the current impasse.

“The country of origin of the special envoy is important”

For Tim Eaton, a senior researcher at the Chatham House think tank, based in London, the departure of the Senegalese Abdoulaye Bathily is not surprising, for the simple reason that the process he led for several months was bloodless.

“We have noticed over time, among many special envoys, that his aura plays a big role. Likewise, the country of origin of the special envoy is important.”

Virginie Collombier, professor at the Luiss School of Government in Rome and co-editor of the book Violence and Social Transformation in Libya, for her part believes that the resignation of Abdoulaye Bathily will not have much impact on the already uncertain situation in Libya.

according to her, “For the past year, Bathily has focused on this kind of shuttle diplomacy, trying to convince the main parties to the conflict to meet. He’s never been able to bring them together. And it’s clear that he’s had very little influence on the parties to the conflict, so I think it will have no effect.’

Efforts undermined by regional actors

The now former UN special envoy also pointed the finger, without naming them, at foreign supporters of the two rival camps.

Since the start of the war, several states have supported the two antagonistic camps, sometimes to the extent of sending mercenaries to Libya: Turkey and Qatar in the west (Tripoli), Russia, Saudi Arabia and Egypt in the east (Benghazi).

According to Claudio Gazzini, senior analyst at the International Crisis Group on Libya, this is not only the responsibility of Libyan actors, but also of the UN.

“Why is there a situation of tension or lack of progress on the political scene? I think that Bathily has some responsibility for the current situation because he designed a negotiation process that is completely in the hands of the Libyan actors who are in power” , says Claudia Gazzani.

While waiting for a successor, American Stephanie Koury, appointed in March as Abdoulaye Bathily’s deputy for political affairs, will take over in the meantime. A remake of the scenario of the temporary mandate of her compatriot Stephanie Williams, after the departure of former emissary Ghassan Salamé in March 2020.