Divided Libya: parliament official criticises UN's role in political split

The president of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Libyan Parliament, Yousef Al-Agouri, has directly accused the United Nations of perpetuating a divided Libya. Speaking with Spanish journalists at the parliament’s headquarters in Benghazi, Al-Agouri emphasised Libya’s commitment to fostering positive international relations with all countries, according to reporting from Atalayar.

Agouri reiterated the sentiment that the Benghazi side of Libya to the east, which controls 80% of the country, is the legitimate side under the control of Osama Hammad.

The political division in Libya persists between two competing authorities: the Government of National Unity (GNU) based in the western province of Tripoli, which maintains UN recognition as Libya’s official government, and the parliamentary government in the east. This dual governance structure continues to complicate efforts toward national reconciliation.

Agouri has specifically pointed out Italy, France, and Turkey, which have accepted that the Eastern side of the country has the most power and influence even without the backing of institutions such as the UN.

This mixed state of affairs for the support in Libya by outside figures has seen Spain’s ambassador for Libya affirm his country’s support for the parliamentary regime. In the meeting between the two ministers, the Libyan expressed that a link between the EU and Libya could help transform Libya into a stable state. As the EU could help hold off foreign interference within the African nation.

There have been serious reconciliation efforts when, in January 2025, the National Reconciliation Law was passed to achieve the unity of Libya in the future and the holding of elections that have been awaited for years to end the conflict between the two opposing governments.

It then comes down to the UN for maintaining a divided Libya. Agouri stated that the UN “is not in the business of resolving conflicts. It supports instability in Libya, it supports armed groups and it hinders the army.”

From the parliamentary side, the support of Tripoli by the UN maintains a divide in the country which halts its development into one unified state.

With a new UN representative moving into the country, he believes the agony will continue.

For the eastern parliament and its majority control of the country, the UN backing of western Tripoli is the last pillar missing to unify Libya, which has been split into two governments since 2011.

The sentiment “when the support for Tripoli stops, this will end” is the key point Agouri has tried to express to the Spanish reporters. For the parliamentarian government of Libya, they must be the sole government and must work with Europe to help cement this stability and put aside interference.

Atalayar