New York

16 November 2015

Note to correspondents – United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) leadership transition

Mr. Martin Kobler will assume his position as Special Representative of the Secretary-General (SRSG) and Head of the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) on 17 November. Mr. Kobler succeeds Mr. Bernardino León, to whom the Secretary-General is grateful for his dedicated and distinguished service.

The leadership transition comes at a critical time for Libya. Mr. Kobler is committed to ensuring continuity of United Nations facilitation of the Libyan dialogue process, building on what Libyan parties have achieved to date.

Lieutenant-General Paolo Serra of Italy has joined UNSMIL as Senior Advisor to the SRSG on security sector matters relating to the dialogue process. Lieutenant-General Serra has an extensive and distinguished military career and broad experience in multinational peace operations. From 2012 to 2014, he served as Head of Mission and Force Commander of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL).