Libyan officials and political factions offered a measured welcome this week to the appointment of Ghanaian diplomat Hanna Serwaa Tetteh as the United Nations’ new special envoy to the conflict-stricken nation, though analysts and lawmakers cautioned that her tenure may face familiar hurdles in steering the country toward elections and stability.
Tetteh, who previously served as the UN secretary-general’s envoy to the Horn of Africa, succeeds Abdoulaye Bathily of Senegal, who stepped down as head of the UN Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) in May. Stephanie Koury, a senior UN official, had led the mission on an interim basis until Tetteh’s selection.
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The appointment comes amid stalled international efforts to broker a path to elections in Libya, which is fractured into rival eastern and western governments.
Mohamed Menfi, president of Libya’s internationally recognised Presidency Council, called Tetteh’s selection “critical,” citing her “extensive diplomatic experience” in a social media post Sunday.
He expressed hope she could help break the political impasse and advance long-delayed elections, which Libyans view as vital to ending a decade of chaos following the 2011 ouster of Muammar Gaddafi.
Libya’s eastern-based administration, aligned with military commander Khalifa Haftar, also pledged cooperation but stressed that solutions must emerge from “Libyan-Libyan dialogue.” In a statement on Facebook, the eastern-based government urged Tetteh to ensure UNSMIL’s role remains supportive rather than directive, Xinhua news agency reported.
Tetteh, a seasoned diplomat who previously led UN engagements with the African Union, assumes her role on Friday as Libya’s political fissures deepen. The country has been deadlocked since the collapse of its 2020 ceasefire, with eastern forces refusing to recognise the Tripoli-based government and both sides accused of obstructing elections.
Some analysts said that Tetteh’s ability to bridge these gaps — and unify international stakeholders — will likely determine whether her tenure marks a turning point or another chapter in Libya’s unresolved crisis.
