Libya Political Risk Report (October 24)

Big Picture Outlook

The United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) further presses its political roadmap as delays continue and Libya’s political institutions face internal pressure as they try to conduct basic functions.

UNSMIL head Hannah Tetteh and her deputy Stephanie Khoury directly took part in negotiations between the House of Representatives (HoR) and the High Council of State (HCS), while the HoR held a session marked by confusion and conflicting reports.

The High National Election Commission succeeded in holding stalled eastern and southern Libyan municipal elections. Libyan National Army (LNA) Deputy Commander Saddam Haftar travelled to Belarus while there were further reports of European interceptions of LNA shipments in the Mediterranean.

Key Highlights

• The High National Election Commission (HNEC) announced that voting took place in 16 municipalities in western, southern, and eastern Libya, with 10 more municipalities expected to hold elections in February 2026.
• The House of Representatives (HoR) held a session to discuss the current liquidity crisis around the Central Bank of Libya (CBL), but the CBL said they had not been asked to attend the session.
• United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) head Hannah Tetteh met with nearly 40 members of the High Council of State and discussed completing the first step of the political roadmap
• UNSMIL deputy head Stephanie Khoury met with members of the HoR in Benghazi, and discussed preparations for hosting a "structured dialogue" in November.
• Italian media reported that in August, the Spanish Coast Guard intercepted a shipment of UAE-produced naval vessels bound for eastern Libya.
• Deputy Commander of the Libyan National Army (LNA), Saddam Haftar, conducted a state visit to Belarus, where he met with Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko.