UN Says Mladenov Unable to Take up Role as UN Libya Envoy

Arab World

December 22nd, 6:10pm

Asharq Al-Awsat

Nickolay Mladenov (on screen), UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, briefs the Security Council from Jerusalem on the situation in the Middle East, May 23, 2018. (Reuters)

Bulgarian diplomat Nickolay Mladenov has told UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres he will be unable to take up the role as United Nations Libya envoy next year due to “personal and family reasons,” a UN spokesman said on Tuesday. Mladenov has been the UN Middle East envoy since 2015, charged with mediating between Israel and the Palestinians. The UN Security Council last week approved Guterres’s proposal to appoint Mladenov as Libya mediator and Norwegian Tor Wennesland to succeed Mladenov as Middle East envoy. Mladenov told Guterres on Monday that when his current role finishes on Dec. 31 he will resign from the United Nations and “will not be able to take up the position as special envoy for Libya ... for personal and family reasons,” UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric told reporters. Acting Libya envoy Stephanie Williams will continue in the role, Dujarric said. Mladenov was due to replace Ghassan Salame, who stepped down as the UN Libya envoy in March due to stress.

from Asharq AL-awsat https://english.aawsat.com/home/article/2697976/un-says-mladenov-unable-take-role-un-libya-envoy