Libya could again see two rival administrations and a return to instability, the UN political chief warned on Wednesday, calling for elections soon like possible to unify the war-torn country.
Under-Secretary-General Rosemary DiCarlo told the UN Security Council she was encouraged by the support for a UN initiative to convene a joint committee of Libya’s rival house of Representatives and High Council of State with a goal of reach an agreement between the two bodies”on a constitutional basis which lead in the elections this year.”
The crisis erupted after Libya failed hold her first presidential elections on December 24 as part of a UN-led reconciliation effort.
The East Country House of The representatives appointed a new prime minister, former interior minister Fathi Bashagha, at lead a new temp worker government in February. Lawmakers demanded the mandate of Acting Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibah, who is based in the capital, Tripoli, expired when the election failed take place.
But Dbeibah insists he will remain, prime minister until elections are held, and the High Council of State, which advises the interim government, called parliament, that is decision name a new prime minister “incorrect” before an election is held.
He announced plans for elections in the summer as he rejected the east-based party parliament’s push to oust him, as he repeated son wish of step down only after a national vote defying the eastern forces parliament the designation of former interior minister Bachagha.
DiCarlo says UN special to advise on Libya, Stephanie Williams, on on March 3 asked the House of Spokespersons and President of the High Council of State to be appointed six members to the joint committee and both responded positively. She said the council had appointed its representatives on Tuesday and the UN awaits the House of Representatives must do the same in the coming days.
Separately, DiCarlo said, Williams offered to mediate between Dbeibah and Bashagha “to overcome the current political stalemate.
Libya descended into chaos after a NATO-backed uprising in 2011 toppled longtime dictator Muammar Gaddafi. For years it has been split between rival administrations in east and west, each supported by a network of militias and foreign governments.
In April 2019, Eastern-based coup leader General Khalifa Haftar and his forces, backed by Egypt and the United Arab Emirates, launched a offensive for capture Tripoli. Haftar campaign collapsed after Turkey and Qatar took a step forward up their military support for recognized by the UN government.
Mediated by Williams, then acting UN envoy, an October 2020 ceasefire-fire the agreement led to the formation of a transition government with Dbeiba like prime minister and the planned elections for December 24 who are now postponed.
DiCarlo warned the standoff continues over “executive legitimacy” could again lead to two parallel administrations, “instability and possibly unrest and dealing a severe blow to the prospect of elections.”
She said there had been “worrying developments” since March 1, when the House of Representatives held a vote of trust on by Bashagha new government. the vote was tainted with “procedural flaws and threats of violence against some members of the chamber and their families” according to reports received by the United Nations.
DiCarlo pointed to the continued suspension of air flights between cities in the east and Tripoli and “the forces in western Libya supporting That is side moving on March 9-10 to the capital. She said Williams engaged both parties “and managed to reduce tensions.”
But the UN political chief warned that “Libya is now facing a new phase of political polarization, which risks dividing its institutions once again and reverse the gains obtained over the past two years.”
“We remain convinced that credible, transparent and inclusive elections on a sound constitutional and legal framework are the only solution to current stalemate,” she said.
The United States and the United Kingdom have strongly supported Williams’ efforts to promote dialogue between conflicting parties that leads to elections, but Russia did not.
US Deputy Ambassador Jeffrey DeLaurentis said the United States strongly urges the House of Participation of representatives and the High Council of State in facilitated by the UN dialogue.
“Free and fair elections are the only path to stability and prosperity for the Libyan people and we have an obligation to support the libyan peoplethe desire for elections,” he told the council.
UK Deputy Ambassador James Kariuki also urged those on both parties to accept Williams’ offer and “set set aside narrow interests and seriously engage in addressing the underlying conditions that prevented elections from taking place last December.”
He said that 2.8 millions of Libyans who registered at vote to have made their aspirations clear and “all actors, internal and external, should abstain from everything moves that could undermine stability or deepen divisions in Libya and threaten to defeat hard-won progress hit over the last two years.”
But Russia’s deputy ambassador, Dmitry Polyansky, said: “We respect the wishes of Libyans to solve their servant problems themselves.”
“It is from this point of view that theon receives the endorsement of the Libyan Chamber of Representatives of a new composition of the government directed by prime minister Bashagha,” he told the council. “It is an important element step to overcome the protracted crisis.
Libya could again see two rival administrations and a return to instability, the UN political chief warned on Wednesday, calling for elections soon like possible to unify the war-torn country.
Under-Secretary-General Rosemary DiCarlo told the UN Security Council she was encouraged by the support for a UN initiative to convene a joint committee of Libya’s rival house of Representatives and High Council of State with a goal of reach an agreement between the two bodies”on a constitutional basis which lead in the elections this year.”
The crisis erupted after Libya failed hold her first presidential elections on December 24 as part of a UN-led reconciliation effort.
The East Country House of The representatives appointed a new prime minister, former interior minister Fathi Bashagha, at lead a new temp worker government in February. Lawmakers demanded the mandate of Acting Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibah, who is based in the capital, Tripoli, expired when the election failed take place.
But Dbeibah insists he will remain, prime minister until elections are held, and the High Council of State, which advises the interim government, called parliament, that is decision name a new prime minister “incorrect” before an election is held.
He announced plans for elections in the summer as he rejected the east-based party parliament’s push to oust him, as he repeated son wish of step down only after a national vote defying the eastern forces parliament the designation of former interior minister Bachagha.
DiCarlo says UN special to advise on Libya, Stephanie Williams, on on March 3 asked the House of Spokespersons and President of the High Council of State to be appointed six members to the joint committee and both responded positively. She said the council had appointed its representatives on Tuesday and the UN awaits the House of Representatives must do the same in the coming days.
Separately, DiCarlo said, Williams offered to mediate between Dbeibah and Bashagha “to overcome the current political stalemate.
Libya descended into chaos after a NATO-backed uprising in 2011 toppled longtime dictator Muammar Gaddafi. For years it has been split between rival administrations in east and west, each supported by a network of militias and foreign governments.
In April 2019, Eastern-based coup leader General Khalifa Haftar and his forces, backed by Egypt and the United Arab Emirates, launched a offensive for capture Tripoli. Haftar campaign collapsed after Turkey and Qatar took a step forward up their military support for recognized by the UN government.
Mediated by Williams, then acting UN envoy, an October 2020 ceasefire-fire the agreement led to the formation of a transition government with Dbeiba like prime minister and the planned elections for December 24 who are now postponed.
DiCarlo warned the standoff continues over “executive legitimacy” could again lead to two parallel administrations, “instability and possibly unrest and dealing a severe blow to the prospect of elections.”
She said there had been “worrying developments” since March 1, when the House of Representatives held a vote of trust on by Bashagha new government. the vote was tainted with “procedural flaws and threats of violence against some members of the chamber and their families” according to reports received by the United Nations.
DiCarlo pointed to the continued suspension of air flights between cities in the east and Tripoli and “the forces in western Libya supporting That is side moving on March 9-10 to the capital. She said Williams engaged both parties “and managed to reduce tensions.”
But the UN political chief warned that “Libya is now facing a new phase of political polarization, which risks dividing its institutions once again and reverse the gains obtained over the past two years.”
“We remain convinced that credible, transparent and inclusive elections on a sound constitutional and legal framework are the only solution to current stalemate,” she said.
The United States and the United Kingdom have strongly supported Williams’ efforts to promote dialogue between conflicting parties that leads to elections, but Russia did not.
US Deputy Ambassador Jeffrey DeLaurentis said the United States strongly urges the House of Participation of representatives and the High Council of State in facilitated by the UN dialogue.
“Free and fair elections are the only path to stability and prosperity for the Libyan people and we have an obligation to support the libyan peoplethe desire for elections,” he told the council.
UK Deputy Ambassador James Kariuki also urged those on both parties to accept Williams’ offer and “set set aside narrow interests and seriously engage in addressing the underlying conditions that prevented elections from taking place last December.”
He said that 2.8 millions of Libyans who registered at vote to have made their aspirations clear and “all actors, internal and external, should abstain from everything moves that could undermine stability or deepen divisions in Libya and threaten to defeat hard-won progress hit over the last two years.”
But Russia’s deputy ambassador, Dmitry Polyansky, said: “We respect the wishes of Libyans to solve their servant problems themselves.”
“It is from this point of view that theon receives the endorsement of the Libyan Chamber of Representatives of a new composition of the government directed by prime minister Bashagha,” he told the council. “It is an important element step to overcome the protracted crisis.