UNITED NATIONS: The United Nations Security Council has authorised yet another "technical rollover" of the UN Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) mission because members of the council could not agree on a substantive mandate renewal. The 15-member council overwhelmingly passed Resolution 2629 on Friday, which extends UNSMIL's mandate for three months, until July 31, 2022.

According to reports, the resolution states that UNSMIL should be managed by a UN Secretary-General special representative based in Tripoli, and urges the latter to designate one as soon as possible.

The resolution also reduces the Secretary-reporting General's cycle to the Security Council on UNSMIL's efforts from 60 to 30 days. The resolution urges all parties to refrain from taking any measures that could undermine the political process or the Libyan ceasefire scheduled for October 23, 2020.

It emphasises that there can be no military solution in Libya and calls for full compliance with the arms embargo by all member states.  Since September 2021, Resolution 2629 is the fourth technical renewal of UNSMIL's mandate.

Jan Kubis, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres' special envoy for Libya, resigned one month before Libyan national elections in November 2021.

Guterres named Stephanie Williams of the United States as his special adviser on Libya in December 2021. Williams was appointed to manage the UN's work in Libya, despite the fact that he was not formally Kubis' successor.

US Federal Reserves’ closely watched inflation measure continues to rise in March

Western officials urge Sudan to lift state of emergency

Canada plans to reopen embassy in Ukraine shortly: Melanie Joly