UNITED NATIONS (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 19th November, 2020) The United Nations is weighing the option of appointing the Special Coordinator for the middle East Peace Process Nickolay Mladenov to be the new Special Envoy for Libya and Head of the Support Mission there (UNSMIL), a diplomatic source told Sputnik on Thursday.
"For the time being, Special Coordinator for the Middle East Nickolay Mladenov is being considered for the position. However, it is still up in the air," the source said.
Earlier on Thursday, United Kingdom's Deputy Permanent Representative to the United Nations Jonathan Allen thanked Acting Special Envoy for Libya Stephanie Williams what may be her "final briefing to the [UN Security] Council."
Meanwhile, US Permanent Representative to the United Nations Kelly Craft stated that it is critical to fill in the UN Special Envoy's post and emphasized that Mladenov is the right choice for this role.
Craft added the US mission looks forward to consulting with UN Chief Antonio Guterres and the Security Council member states on potential African candidates for the UNSMIL Coordinator position.
Since March, Williams has been serving as an acting special envoy for Libya following the resignation of Ghassan Salame from the post in March.
Mladenov has been serving as UN envoy for Middle East peace processes since 2015. He had also served as a UN special representative for the Assistance Mission in Iraq, following his role as the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Bulgaria in 2010-2013.
