UN welcomes agreement, calls for Libya to prepare for elections

UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres has welcomed the signing of the 4+4 Dialogue Mini Committee Agreement in Libya, as reported by LY Witness on August 31st.

The Committee Agreement addresses the first two phases of the political roadmap developed by the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL).

UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said the agreement includes the restructuring of the High National Elections Commission’s board, alongside the addressing of outstanding issues according to the constitutional and legal framework of presidential and legislative elections.

During a press conference Dujarric added that the Secretary-General called on all Libyan parties and institutions to engage in good faith in order to advance the agreement, emphasizing that the already reached progress is proof that progress is obtainable through dialogue.

UNSMIL hosted the signing ceremony of the agreement reached by the mini-meeting on August 30th, stressing that the agreement shows a major step towards advancing the political process while creating the necessary conditions for national elections to be held.

The agreement covers amendments to the electoral framework, including arrangements for the holding of presidential and legislative elections under a single executive authority, with the parties committing to work for the holding of elections within a period of no longer than 24 months. The agreement also includes arrangements for national ratification by the House of Representatives and the High Council of State within a month, in addition to setting up a mechanism to follow up on the implementation of its outputs.

The Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General for Libya, Hannah Tite, stressed during the ceremony that the responsibility in the next stage is to turn the agreement into practical measures, through its adoption in the national level, the implementation of the agreed electoral framework, and the continuation of work as a way to make progress towards the conditions needed for fair elections.

Titeh concluded through emphasizing that the United Nations will continue to facilitate and support the political process, adding that the future of Libya’s political landscape will remain the property of the Libyan people.

LY Witness, Maghrebi.org.