The UN Security Council voted on Friday to extend the political mission in Libya for only three months, with Russia vetoing a lengthier extension until a new UN ambassador is chosen. The resolution extends the mandate of the UN Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) “until 31 July 2022” and “calls on the Secretary-General to nominate an SRSG (emissary) expeditiously” to be located in Tripoli. Since the resignation in November of Slovak envoy Jan Kubis, the Security Council has been marked by growing Russian opposition to any common agreement on Libya. UNSMIL’s annual mandate was renewed in September for only four months, before being extended in January for another three months. But faced with Russian resistance, the text transformed into a technical renewal of the current mandate for only three months.

Source: Libya Today April 29, 2022 16:32 UTC