Libya: Warning of Rising Misinformation & Hate Speech Targeting Migrants | United Nations

Special Representative for Libya Hanna Serwaa Tetteh warned against a “growing wave of misinformation, disinformation, hate speech and incitement” targeting refugees, migrants, humanitarian actors, and UN personnel, and stressed that the UN “is not in the business of resettling migrants” in Libya. Addressing the Security Council, Tetteh said, “a growing wave of misinformation, disinformation, hate speech and incitement targeting refugees, migrants, humanitarian actors and UN agencies and personnel in Libya, including Libyan nationals.” She continued, “False and misleading claims – particularly allegations of UN plans to settle migrants or refugees in Libya – have contributed to a climate of hostility, threats, and violence against humanitarian workers and UN personnel, and have already provoked violence against UN premises, underscoring the real dangers posed by disinformation. Migration is a legitimate public concern but must be addressed on the basis of facts, not fear, and through responsible public discourse rather than inflammatory, false and provocative narratives. Let me use this opportunity to state clearly that the UN in Libya is not in the business of resettling migrants into Libya.” She stressed, “The country’s challenges cannot be addressed through fabrications and scapegoating. They require responsible leadership, unified functioning and effective institutions to restore public trust. Advancing the UNSMIL-facilitated roadmap is therefore not merely a political imperative; it is one viable path to overcoming institutional fragmentation and building a more stable and secure future for all Libyans.” She also said, “Libya’s economic trajectory continues to pose a significant threat to its stability and the wellbeing of its citizens. Rising prices and the erosion of purchasing power increasingly strain households and impact the provisions of social services across the country.” She added, “Higher global oil and gas prices have boosted revenues and provided short-term relief, but this should not obscure structural vulnerabilities. Fuel shortages across Greater Tripoli and other cities particularly in the south in late April and May, exposed persisting weaknesses in the management of the subsidy regime. The primary driver of fuel shortages remains entrenched networks smuggling subsidised refined petroleum products out of the country to the disadvantage of the Libyan consumer.” She stressed that in Tripoli, public mobilisation against migration-related issues intensified this month due to “deliberate misinformation” on various media platforms. She continued, “On 4 June, hundreds of demonstrators gathered outside the UNHCR and UNSMIL buildings, demonstrating against alleged plans to settle migrants in Libya. At UNHCR, demonstrators blocked access to the premises with earth barriers. At UNSMIL, protesters breached the perimeter, damaged the entrance gates, dumped sand and debris, and threw stones at UN security personnel.” She also emphasized that “if Libyan political actors and institutions are unable to work together to create the political and security conditions for holding elections and completing the remaining legal and institutional steps within a reasonable timeframe, continued reliance on this process alone will not be sufficient to deliver the Libyan people’s right to have a government of their choice which would have democratic legitimacy.” Taher M. El-Sonni, Permanent Representative of Libya to the United Nations, stated, “We stress to everyone that Libya will not be a place for the resettlement of immigrants. Libya will never be country for the resettlement of immigrants in any form.”


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