Tripoli: The Libyan News Agency hosted the UN Media Roundtable on Libya 2026 today, Tuesday, at its headquarters in Tripoli, for the second consecutive year. The roundtable was dedicated to reviewing the annual report on the work of the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) and various UN agencies operating in the country during 2025. The event was attended by the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Agency, Abdul-basit Ahmed Abodaya, and the Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Resident Coordinator in Libya, Ulrika Richardson.

According to Libyan News Agency, the dialogue was attended by the Resident Representative of the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), Sophie Kimkhadze; the UNICEF Representative in Libya, Mohamed Fayyad; the Head of Mission of the International Organization for Migration (IOM) in Libya, Nicoletta Giordano; the Resident Representative of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), Ziad Nabulsi; and the Director of UN Women's Programmes, Isadora Demora, along with the Director of the UN Mission's Communications and Media Office, Mohamed Al-Asadi, and a number of Libyan journalists and representatives of local and international media outlets.

In his opening remarks, Abodaya welcomed the UN Mission delegation, expressing his appreciation for the United Nations' commitment to strengthening communication with Libyan media institutions, particularly the Libyan News Agency. He emphasized that the seminar aimed to highlight the role of various UN organizations in Libya through their support for several vital areas, including migration, governance, health, education, the environment, and climate change.

Abodaya pointed out that the United Nations' role in Libya remains unclear to the public, given the sensitivity and complexity of the current political landscape and the diplomatic and political challenges it presents. He also noted that questions are circulating among the Libyan public regarding the nature of the UN mission's role, explaining that some believe the UN has not fulfilled its expected role towards Libya since its independence, despite the fact that the country's independence was achieved through the international organization, and despite Libya's continued commitment to financial contributions and participation in various UN funds.

He also addressed the issue of irregular migration, explaining that there are circulating accusations concerning plans to settle migrants in Libya. He emphasized that the UN mission has repeatedly denied implementing any such projects and that its efforts are limited to humanitarian and relief work.

For her part, Ulrika Richardson expressed her appreciation to the Libyan News Agency (LANA), which she described as one of the oldest and most established media institutions in the country, for hosting the UN Media Roundtable on Libya 2026. The roundtable was dedicated to presenting the UN's annual report on achievements in 2025 and to opening a direct dialogue with national media outlets about the most significant achievements and results attained in Libya.

Richardson emphasized that the mission, in cooperation with LANA, seeks to provide a platform for constructive dialogue between the UN and national media, contributing to accurate and balanced media coverage and strengthening institutional communication with various Libyan media outlets. She noted that the mission relies on the partnership of the national press in serving the interests of the Libyan people.

She added that the mission's work focuses on humanitarian and service-related aspects connected to stability, peace, and supporting Libyan institutions, with the aim of improving the quality of life and providing support to vulnerable groups. She affirmed that the health, education, economy, environment, irregular migration, and governance sectors receive particular attention from specialized UN agencies.

The roundtable discussions included interactive dialogue sessions that brought together heads of UN agencies and representatives of local media outlets. These sessions addressed a number of important issues, including education, health, the environment, climate change, water scarcity, environmental pollution, governance, irregular migration, women's empowerment, and support for vulnerable groups in various regions of Libya.

In the same context, the UNICEF Representative in Libya, Mohamed Fayyad, affirmed that the organization deals with all children in Libya without discrimination based on nationality, origin, or identity. He emphasized that children's rights are guaranteed under the Convention on the Rights of the Child, which Libya has ratified.

In a statement to the Libyan News Agency on the sidelines of the roundtable, Fayyad explained that UNICEF focuses on the humanitarian aspects of child protection and ensuring their access to healthcare, education, and basic services. He noted that Libya, as a signatory to the Convention on the Rights of the Child, bears legal and moral obligations towards all children within its territory, including migrant children and children of unknown parentage.

He affirmed that every child has the right to enjoy human dignity and the rights stipulated in international conventions and various religions. He also expressed his appreciation for the interest shown by Libyan journalists in following the work of the United Nations, considering the discussions and questions raised as reflecting a professional commitment to addressing humanitarian and service-related issues affecting citizens and residents of Libya.

The UNICEF representative also commended the Libyan News Agency for facilitating direct dialogue between UN agencies and local media outlets.

For her part, Monica Chaeva, UNICEF's Child Protection Program Officer in Libya, emphasized the crucial role of Libyan media in protecting children's rights. She noted that the role of journalists extends beyond simply reporting the news; it also includes promoting the protection of children and safeguarding their dignity and privacy.

Chaeva added that the meeting with representatives of the national press provided an opportunity to discuss journalistic ethics in covering children's issues and the necessity of adhering to international standards that ensure no child is harmed or exploited. She emphasized that the way news stories are crafted and the issues highlighted can directly contribute to protecting children and promoting their rights.

She concluded by affirming that the partnership with the Libyan media represents an important step towards building a more aware and respectful society that upholds and protects children's rights.

The annual report of the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) addressed several key areas related to supporting stability and development in the country. These included preserving political and electoral processes, enhancing women's participation in governance, expanding civic space, and supporting evidence-based planning and digital governance.

The report focused on strengthening justice, combating corruption, upholding the rule of law, establishing human rights-based justice, improving safeguards in detention, supporting accountability and legislative reform, as well as security sector governance, mine action, and creating an environment conducive to stability.

On the economic front, the report reviewed efforts to strengthen economic governance and structured economic dialogue, modernize regulatory and sectoral policy frameworks, diversify the economy, labor markets, and skills, as well as support youth employment, micro, small, and medium-sized enterprise (MSME) development, and enhance the resilience of the local economy.

The report also addressed the development of agriculture, food, and fisheries systems, expanding access to basic health services and health infrastructure, enhancing the resilience of the health system, improving health sector governance and health workforce management, and building the digital foundations for inclusive education.

In the area of environment and climate, the report highlighted efforts to strengthen water governance at the national level, ensure climate-resilient water security, promote environmental management and the foundations of a circular economy, and address climate governance, climate finance, and empowering communities and youth to engage in climate action.

The report also touched upon migration issues and durable solutions, emphasizing the integration of solutions within local development systems, maintaining essential services during transitions, strengthening national evidence bases for migration governance, supporting institutional capacities and protection standards, expanding protection pathways and durable solutions, and enhancing service delivery and coordination in high-risk environments to ensure the preservation of safety and human dignity.

The report also highlighted the importance of data and targeted financing to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals, mobilizing international climate finance, strengthening South-South and triangular cooperation, developing operational efficiency and transforming working methods, enhancing communication and advocacy with a unified voice, and establishing joint platforms for youth engagement.