The Security Council is discussing the stalled progress in Gaza as the fragile ceasefire there limps on, and deteriorating conditions across the West Bank amid continued civilian casualties and mounting humanitarian needs. Discussions are likely to focus on who governs Gaza, and how – with no disarmament in sight, together with efforts to support recovery.

Hanna Tetteh, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General, said that while some progress has been made toward implementing a UN-backed political roadmap, divisions between the House of Representatives and the High Council of State continue to block key steps needed ahead of long-awaited national elections.

“The two institutions have yet to achieve this objective,” Ms. Tetteh told ambassadors in the Security Council.

“They have not yet discussed jointly the constitutional and legal framework for elections. Achieving political consensus on these matters will be challenging … [but] Libya cannot afford continued delays or disruptions.”

Lack of political will

The roadmap’s first milestone – reconstituting the full Board of Commissioners of the High National Elections Commission – remains incomplete.

Disagreements persist over whether to replace all seven members or fill only the vacant posts – a debate that Ms. Tetteh said reflects “a broader lack of political will.”

She urged Libyan leaders to “engage constructively” to complete the initial milestones, adding that if no agreement is reached, the UN Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) will “pursue another approach” and seek the Council’s backing to ensure the roadmap advances.

Inclusive process vital

In parallel, UNSMIL is preparing to launch national dialogue sessions in November, aimed at bringing together broader segments of Libyan society – including civil society, youth and women’s representatives – to help shape an inclusive political process.

It will cover governance, security, the economy, and human rights.

Ms. Tetteh also reported a reduction in tensions across the capital Tripoli following mediation between the Government of National Unity (GNU) and the so-called Deterrence Apparatus for Combating Organized Crime and Terrorism (DACOT), crediting local actors and Türkiye’s intervention.

“A stable security environment is critical for stability and for political progress,” she said.

Corruption and oversight

On governance, she raised concern about corruption and weak oversight, noting the Central Bank’s discovery of billions of dinars in unregistered currency.

She welcomed Libya’s newly launched national plan for combating corruption, calling it “an important step forward” but one that would require “political will to advance transparency and accountability.”

The top UN official underscored the Libyan people’s desire for legitimate, unified institutions.

“They deserve political stability and long-term peace,” she said. “UNSMIL is committed to supporting them.”

The opening of the vital aid route on Friday was welcomed by officials, as it serves as a vital humanitarian route for delivering urgent aid to millions, according to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).

Reports indicate that 131 approved trucks will carry food and other relief items across the border, aiming to assist hundreds of thousands of people during and after the peak of the country’s rainy season. These supplies are expected to last through Sudan’s lean season in August and September.

Heavy rains and violence interrupt aid

Meanwhile, the World Food Programme (WFP) reported on Monday that 50 of its trucks, carrying nearly 5,000 tons of food and nutrition assistance, have been stranded in various locations across Sudan due to flooding and impassable roads, preventing the delivery of aid.

The agency aimed to deliver aid to around half a million people via the Tine border, but heavy rainfall has prevented trucks on the Chadian side from crossing. Some trucks have been stranded for up to two weeks.

Active fighting and increased violence in different regions of the nation, including in the Sennar and Gedaref State and Khartoum, have further restricted WFP’s access to communities in the middle of conflict zones.

OCHA said a humanitarian ceasefire “is urgently required to massively expand humanitarian access.”

“Ultimately, an end to the conflict is the only sustainable solution. It is critical for the warring parties to leave the battlefield and show up at the negotiating table,” the agency continued.

WFP needs all border crossings in Sudan to open to ensure the urgent delivery of food and nutrition assistance.

Additional flood effects

Separately, OCHA has reported that heavy rains and flooding are driving up the humanitarian needs in Sudan as roughly 143,000 people in 12 of Sudan’s 18 states have been impacted.

The aid coordination office also documented 27,000 cases of displacement, which is likely an underreported figure as “some of the worst flooding is in hard-to-reach conflict hotspots: Khartoum, Gezira, Kordofan and Darfur.”

The floods have also heightened the risk of disease outbreaks, including cholera and typhoid which can be fatal for malnourished women and children.

OCHA reported hundreds of recent cholera cases in Sudan.

Additionally, a dozen states in Sudan are experiencing multiple disease outbreaks simultaneously while three-quarters of healthcare facilities in the most affected areas are no longer operational.