What Mandate? Mediating During Warfighting in the Libyan Revolution (2011)

The United Nation?s mediation mandate evolved during the Libyan revolution and was hampered by inconsistent support for the mediation, by other mediation initiatives, including that of the African Union, and by a proliferation of envoys and transition plans. When a battlefield stalemate obliged the international community to agree on a political mandate for mediation led by United Nations Special Envoy Abdelelah al-Khatib, the challenge was to persuade Gaddafi to accept a transition in which he would have no role. Gaddafi would not consent to this, and the rebels had little interest in a mediated transition that included him.