UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Saturday said he was not happy with the decision by the US government to block former Palestinian Prime Minister, Mr. Salam Fayyad from heading the UN political mission in Libya.
Fayyad was the former Palestinian Authority’s prime minister from 2007 to 2013.
Guterres, who spoke at Munich Security Conference in Germany, described the US blockade on the appointment as “a serious mistake.”
The UN chief said: “I believe that it is essential for everybody to understand that people serving the United Nations are serving in their personal capacities. They do not represent a country or a government.”
He also noted that “Mr. Fayyad is the right person in the right place at the right time.”
“Mr. Fayyad’s appointment was solely based on his personal qualities and his competence for that position,” he stressed.
The former Palestinian PM had the support of all 14 other Security Council members, with exception of the US, to succeed Martin Kobler, a German career diplomat who was the UN’s Libya envoy since late 2015.
Last week, the US Representative to the UN, Ambassador Nikki Haley blocked Fayyad’s appointment, saying the US objected to the appointment to support its ally Israel.
Appointments of the UN Special Representatives require the unanimous backing of the UN Security Council.
The US wields influence in the Security Council, as one of the five permanent members with veto power.
Libya has been gripped by unrest since its 2011 revolution and the killing of president Muammar Khaddafi.
Photo credit: UN
