GCC criticises UN for failing to replace its Libya envoy
A senior GCC official said the failure to appoint a new UN special envoy for Libya was unacceptable and suggested the Arab League and EU should be involved in choosing a candidate.
Abdelaziz Aluwaisheg, GCC assistant secretary general for political and negotiation affairs, told a panel in Brussels that while there was broad international and regional consensus on a peace process in Libya, there had been less progress among Libyans themselves.
Ghassan Salame resigned as special envoy for Libya in March, citing stress, and American diplomat Stephanie Williams, his deputy, is filling the role temporarily.
Mr Aluwaisheg said failure to appoint a permanent successor was costly for Libya as Turkey broadened its intervention in the country.
“You can’t have a diplomatic vacuum in a hot spot like this that has created an opening for unilateral action that has been seized on by Turkey,” he said.
“Frequently when the UN takes over it doesn’t work as closely as it could with regional actors.
“The next, hopefully more experienced, UN mediator should take these considerations into account.”
Participants in the forum organised by the Bussola Institute in Brussels included Rosamaria Gili, head of the Mena division of the European External Action Service, who criticised the escalation of the conflict after the Berlin Conference on Libya in January.
Mr Aluwaisheg repeated his support for the conference and said its suggestion of a federal way forward for Libya was endorsed by the Arab League last month.
“The Cairo declaration endorses and builds on the Berlin conference,” he said.
“We need to think of a federal system. It may be the most complicating factor is how to deal with the oil wealth.
“The Iraqis made oil a federal issue. Maybe that is something that the Libyans have to think about.”
Turkey backs the Government of National Accord in Tripoli and supplied weapons and fighters from Syria. Ankara’s intervention robbed negotiations of any momentum.
“Where we are in Libya is worse than where we were a year, year and a half ago,” Ms Gili said.
“At the European level we put a lot of hope in Berlin and now we see six months down the line more interference.”