Libyan PM, UN envoy discuss roadmap toward national elections
Tripoli, April 27
Libyan Prime Minister Abdul-Hamid Dbeibah held talks with a UN envoy to explore ways to move the country toward long-delayed national elections and end its political division.
Hanna Tetteh, the UN secretary-general's special representative for Libya, briefed Dbeibah on a UN-backed roadmap aimed at unifying state institutions and preparing for direct elections, said the government's Hakomitna news platform.
She said the recent UN-sponsored "mini-dialogue" falls within the first phase of the roadmap, which focuses on finalising electoral laws and forming the board of the High National Elections Commission.
Dbeibah reaffirmed his government's support for efforts that propose practical and implementable solutions to preserve the path toward a "civil state," and stressed the need to move along clear tracks that would lead to the completion of electoral laws and proceed directly to elections, with the aim of ending institutional division and respecting the will of voters.
For her part, Tetteh reiterated the UN mission's continued support for consensus-building among Libyan parties and for creating favorable conditions to ensure the success of the political process and the holding of comprehensive elections, Xinhua news agency reported.
The meeting comes amid growing public debate over unconfirmed reports about an alternative roadmap involving the restructuring of the executive authority, which has been rejected by groups of activists in the city of Misrata, who view such proposals as a threat to national sovereignty.
Since the 2011 fall of its former leader Muammar Gaddafi, Libya has been split between the UN-recognised Government of National Unity in Tripoli and the eastern administration backed by the Libyan National Army under commander Khalifa Haftar.
Earlier, on April 22, the UN's top envoy for Libya had said that a stalled political progress, deteriorating economy and persistent institutional divisions are pushing the country toward deeper instability.
— IANS
Reader Comments
The mini-dialogue sounds promising but how many times have we heard this before? 🤔 Libya needs elections that all factions accept, not just another roadmap that ends up in the dustbin. The people there deserve stability after so many years.
As an oil-rich country, Libya's instability affects global energy markets too. The split between Tripoli and the east is like two different worlds. The UN's role is vital but local ownership is key. Hope the Misrata activists' concerns about sovereignty are addressed properly.
India has historical ties with Libya from the Gaddafi era. We should quietly support the UN process without taking sides between the rival governments. The real question is whether any election can be free and fair when armed groups hold so much power.
The article says the economy is deteriorating. That's what happens when you have two parallel governments each printing money. I hope the UN's consensus-building actually works this time. But I'm skeptical - every time there's progress, some faction derails it.
Libya's situation reminds me of Afghanistan in some ways - foreign interventions, armed factions, and delayed elections. The UN has its work cut out. At least Dbeibah seems willing to move forward, which is more than some other leaders have shown.
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