The UN said on Tuesday that Libya’s political, economic and security situation is worsening, as institutional divisions, financial strain and criminality threaten already delayed plans for national elections. “The situation in Libya is deteriorating on many fronts,” Ms Tetteh said. Beyond political paralysis, Ms Tetteh also highlighted growing security threats, warning that transnational criminal networks had “flourished” in Libya’s fragmented environment. A recent UN report found Libya has become a conduit for drug trafficking and other illicit trade, abetted by porous borders, weak financial supervision and divided law-enforcement institutions. The prolonged fragmentation has also enabled widespread human trafficking and abuses against migrants using Libya as a gateway to Europe, according to UN agencies.

Source: Libya Today February 18, 2026 18:52 UTC