Libya’s Amazigh, Tebu, and Tuareg representatives have formally denounced the UN-led political mechanism, threatening to boycott upcoming national elections unless they are granted direct representation within the country’s institutional process.
Moving under the banner of the “Coordination Committee of Libya’s Indigenous Peoples,” the joint delegation addressed a letter to UN Secretary-General António Guterres and the UN Special Adviser on Libya, Hanna Tetteh. The communication explicitly details their fierce opposition to the dialogue process currently being conducted through the so-called “4+4” mechanism, which they argue actively undermines their political rights.
In the document, the committee contends that this political framework rests on an approach of systematic exclusion and effectively perpetuates the dominance of a single component of Libyan society over the country’s main state institutions. The signatories assert that the current arrangement neither guarantees a balanced representation of the various national communities nor allows for effective participation by indigenous peoples in critical discussions regarding Libya’s political future. Furthermore, the committee claims that the structure of the dialogue directly contravenes principles upheld by the United Nations regarding the rights of indigenous peoples, specifically referencing Convention No. 169 on their protection and political participation. Consequently, the Amazigh, Tebu, and Tuareg representatives state they have lost confidence in the impartiality of the UN mission in Libya, accusing it of favoring a logic of position-sharing rather than a process grounded in justice and political inclusion.
This unified challenge comes at a sensitive time as the UN attempts to revive institutional discussions aimed at breaking Libya’s persistent political deadlock. Deep-seated disagreements over the electoral framework, the distribution of powers, and the legitimacy of existing state bodies have continued to delay the organization of national elections, which have been repeatedly postponed since 2021. In their letter, representatives of the three communities call for the immediate suspension of all work linked to the current mechanism, including ongoing efforts relating to the restructuring of the National High Electoral Commission. Instead, they demand the establishment of a new consultative framework that guarantees direct and full representation of Amazighs, Tebus, and Tuaregs in all upcoming political and constitutional discussions. The committee concluded with a stark warning that it may boycott any election organized under the current arrangements, indicating that its communities cannot be held responsible for the political or institutional consequences that may arise from a vote conducted without their effective participation.
MK/Sf/lb/abj/APA