UN chief appoints new head of Libya mission

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres announced the appointment of a new envoy to Libya on Friday, ending a nine-month search amid increasing chaos in the oil-rich North African nation.

The appointment of Hanna Serwaa Tetteh of Ghana as special envoy follows the departure of Senegalese diplomat Abdoulaye Bathily in April last year.

Mr Bathily told reporters that despite his best efforts, the UN could not successfully support the North African country's political transition because its leaders had put their own interests above a solution.

Libya has been in political chaos since a Nato-backed uprising toppled and killed long-time dictator Muammar Qaddafi in 2011. For years, the country has been split between rival administrations, each backed by militias and foreign governments.

The former envoy noted that his initiatives were often met with “stubborn resistance, unreasonable expectations and indifference to the interests of the Libyan people”.

Deputy special representative Stephanie Koury temporarily led the mission during the transition period.

Ms Tetteh was appointed as the special envoy of the Secretary-General for the Horn of Africa in 2022. Before that, she was the special representative of the secretary general to the African Union and headed the UN Office to the African Union from 2018 to 2020.

Before her roles at the UN, Ms Tetteh was a prominent government official in Ghana, holding positions as minister for foreign affairs and minister for trade and industry.

Her tenure in government included significant roles such as chairwoman of the Council of Ministers and chairwoman of the Mediation and Security Council of Ecowas.

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