With signs of failure emerging at the UN-sponsored Libyan Political Dialogue Forum after rivals having refused to agree on the mechanisms of appointing a new authority, UN acting envoy for Libya Stephanie Williams pledged to focus on upcoming elections and not to allow hinderers to have their way.
Libya’s rivals failed to agree on a mechanism to choose a transitional government that would lead the conflict-stricken country to elections in December next year, the United Nations said on Tuesday.
Williams told an online meeting for the Libyan Political Dialogue Forum that she would form an advisory committee to help bridge the gaps among the participants and “make concrete progress.”
On Monday evening, Williams launched a two-day meeting in Geneva for representatives of main Libyan financial institutions to discuss important reforms needed to revive the Libyan economy.
The meeting is being held with the help of officials from the UN, Egypt, the US, the EU and the World Bank.
It is worth noting that the Libyan Political Dialogue Forum, a 75-member forum, had reached an agreement to hold presidential and parliamentary elections on Dec 24, 2021. However, it failed to break the deadlock on the selection mechanism for the executive authority despite six online meetings since their face-to-face talks in Tunisia in November, Williams said.
“So far you collectively continue to struggle to agree on a way forward,” she told the attendees.
“The clock is ticking, and we have a collective responsibility before the Libyan people to advance this process so as to fulfil a key objective of the roadmap, which is enabling and making a reality, the holding of the elections.”
Williams said she would announce the legal committee to work on constitutional arrangements for the elections.
The committee is expected to convene Monday, before its face-to-face meeting next month, she said.
“I am fully committed, the train has left the station on this process, there is no going back ... Let’s not litigate the past. There has been a lot of litigation of the past, but we need to look forward,” she said.
