The absence of unified institutions is hampering the economic and social future of young Libyans, according to the United Nations Mission in Libya (UNMIL).
Trapped in an environment of political and security chaos, Libya’s youth are suffering greatly from the consequences of the country’s instability. Thirty young men and women from across Libya recently met with disarmament, demobilisation and reintegration (DDR) experts from the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) to discuss the challenges they face.
According to a statement to APA on Monday, the discourses revealed an inescapable truth: without the unification of security, military and government institutions, the DDR process, which is essential for a transition to lasting peace, will remain ineffective and out of reach.
Young Libyans, faced with a lack of economic opportunities and pervasive violence, see their future compromised by the country’s chronic instability. At the UNMIL-organised workshop, these young people gave poignant testimony to the impact of this situation on their daily lives, the note said.
They stressed that the current structures do not provide an environment conducive to an effective DDR process, leaving young people in a desperate situation with no viable alternatives to the activities of armed groups.
The need for an enhanced national dialogue between the various armed groups and political actors was a central point of discussion. Participants stressed that such a dialogue, facilitated by a neutral third party, could pave the way for an integrated and inclusive DDR process.
However, as the statement points out, they also expressed scepticism about the possibility of such an undertaking succeeding without a firm commitment from all parties involved and without prior political consensus.
One of the young participants’ key recommendations was the urgent need to unify Libya’s security, military and government institutions. Without this unification, they argued, any DDR process would be doomed to failure.
They also called for new language and UN resolutions on DDR standards and guidelines, as well as greater coordination between relevant actors to ensure that young people can find alternative economic opportunities away from armed groups.
The discussions also highlighted the crucial role that a more active involvement of young people in the political sphere could play. By offering them specific quotas in decision-making discussions, Libya could not only strengthen the legitimacy of these processes, but also give its young people a strong and influential voice.
ARD/te/lb/as/APA