The United Nations announced on Sunday that it will convene a meeting of a technical committee of experts on Libya, as part of a renewed effort to resolve issues that continue to fuel divisions and to set the country on a path toward long-delayed elections. The announcement came from the acting head of the UN mission in Libya (UNSMIL in English, MANUL in French).
The political process aimed at ending Libya’s turmoil, ongoing since the 2011 uprising, remains at a standstill. Elections, originally scheduled for December 2021, were cancelled due to disagreements over the eligibility of key candidates.
The new committee of experts will focus on overcoming disputes, particularly regarding electoral laws, said Stephanie Williams, the head of the UN Support Mission in Libya. The committee will also explore options for organising elections “as soon as possible,” with “guarantees” and a “timeline,” added the US diplomat.
Libya remains in chaos, divided between two governments: the internationally recognised Government of National Unity (GNU) led by Prime Minister Abdulhamid al-Dbeibah, based in Tripoli, and a rival administration backed by the parliament in the east, which has refused to recognise the GNU for years. Al-Dbeibah has refused to relinquish power unless elections are held.
The country’s instability, exacerbated by a proliferation of militias loyal to competing authorities, has persisted since the NATO-backed 2011 uprising that ousted Colonel Muammar Gaddafi. While political and military leaders claim to support elections, many inside and outside Libya doubt their sincerity and their willingness to relinquish power if election results do not favour them.
Williams promised that the UN mission would continue to work toward “unifying military institutions and security forces” and achieving “national reconciliation.”
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Source: ANA-MPA
