Germany expressed its support for the U.N. envoy to Libya’s efforts to reach a political solution to the current crisis facing the North African country in the light of the institutional division and absence of security in several areas.
German Ambassador to Libya, Oliver Owcza, said on Twitter on Saturday that his country would support the political efforts of the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) through its nonpermanent seat in the UN Security Council.
“For the next two years Germany is member of the U.N. Security Council. With and for Libya, we will use this responsibility to support UNSMIL’s leadership in steering an inclusive political process, advocating unity of the International Community, and supporting economic development,” the tweet read.
Germany was awarded a nonpermanent seat alongside the five permanent members — the United States, Russia, China, France and the United Kingdom — and nine other nonpermanent members starting from 1 January 2018 and will last for the next two years.
The Head of the UNSMIL, Ghassan Salama, is leading mediation efforts in Libya to end the political crisis in the country, which, despite signing a UN-sponsored political agreement, has remained politically divided amid a major lack of security and an escalating violence.
Political instability in Libya after the ouster of Muammar Qaddafi’s regime has led to the spread of organized crimes including trafficking of weapons and drugs alongside illegal migration and terrorism through the lawless, vast deserts of Libya’s southern borders.
