The United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) clarified, in response to the ongoing debate about funding sources, that the financing of the Structured Dialogue comes, as is the case with all UN political missions, from the mandatory contributions paid by the 193 member states, including Libya. It added that the dialogue also relies on voluntary donations coordinated with more than ten countries to support the talks and cover any budget shortfall, confirming that all contributions are pooled into a single fund and are subject to the UN’s stringent financial rules and enhanced oversight mechanisms. The Mission stressed that no donor state is permitted to interfere in setting the agenda, selecting participants, or influencing the outcomes of the political process.
This clarification comes amid widespread Libyan criticism, as the government decided to suspend dealings with the Mission in protest of an agreement signed by the Qatari Ambassador to Libya, Khalid Al-Dosari, with the Resident Representative of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), as part of a joint project to support political dialogue and civic participation. The Libyan government considered this step an interference in internal affairs, while observers expressed concerns that direct funding from a single state could affect the UN’s neutrality.
For her part, the Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Libya, Hannah Tetteh, welcomed the Qatari funding, affirming that it would support the implementation of the roadmap presented by the UN to the Security Council in August 2025, which aims to unify institutions and conduct elections through a new Libyan-led government.
