Addressing the UN Security Council on 19 December 2025, the United Kingdom urged faster movement on Libya’s political track and reaffirmed support for the UN Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL). Delivering the statement in New York, UK Minister Counsellor Jennifer MacNaughtan said the stalemate is denying Libyans democratic choice, economic opportunity and security.
The UK welcomed the launch of UNSMIL’s Structured Dialogue on 14 and 15 December, designed to produce policy and legislative recommendations from a broad range of Libyan voices, including women and young people. The UN described the opening sessions as the first process of this scale to be held on Libyan soil in recent years.
London called on the Libyan institutions mandated to prepare a pathway to elections to make urgent progress. It endorsed the roadmap presented by the Special Representative of the Secretary‑General, Hanna Tetteh, on 21 August 2025, noting that initial milestones remain unmet four months on.
To demonstrate momentum, the statement urged accelerated talks between the House of Representatives and the High Council of State, with a focus on concrete, time‑bound steps toward a viable electoral framework and sequencing.
On public finance, the UK noted the agreement on a Unified Development Programme signed by representatives of the High Council of State and the House of Representatives, calling it a positive step for protecting Libya’s economic future. The Central Bank of Libya has publicly endorsed the agreement as a basis for greater financial stability and more coherent development spending.
The UK underlined that this mechanism must operate transparently and equitably so that resources benefit all Libyans rather than narrow interests, signalling concern about governance risks if oversight is weak.
UNSMIL’s August roadmap rests on three linked pillars: a technically sound electoral framework for presidential and legislative polls; formation of a unified government; and a structured dialogue to address governance, economic, security and reconciliation issues. Security Council members have recorded an indicative 18‑month horizon tied to resolution 2755 (2024).
Both the UN and the UK framed the coming period as decisive. The UK told the Council the status quo is unsustainable, warning that each month without progress deepens instability, fuels corruption and erodes public trust, while the UN said the path to elections remains challenging but achievable if leaders engage in good faith.