Top official proposes new mechanism to support elections in Libya, as public frustration grows

Anjali Sharma

GG News Bureau

UNITED NATIONS, 28th Feb. UN Special Representative for Libya and head of the UN’s political mission in the country, Abdoulaye Bathily on Monday briefed the members of the Security Council and announced plans to create a new mechanism to support crucial elections after 12 years of revolution, political tensions in Libya which remain high and its leaders face a “major legitimacy crisis” amid widespread public frustration.

Abdoulaye Bathily said “The political process remains protracted and falls short of the aspirations of Libyans, who seek to elect their leaders and reinvigorate their political institutions,”

“In short, Libyans are impatient,” he stressed, noting that they are widely questioning the will and desire of political actors to hold inclusive and transparent elections in 2023, as planned.

He outlined his extensive engagement with Libyan actors from civil society representatives to tribal leaders to senior national authorities.

He met with General Khalifa Haftar, head of the so-called Libyan National Army, a rival administration to the UN-recognized Government of National Accord.

Libya has faced multiple crises since the 2011 after Muammar Gaddafi was thrown out, who had led the oil-rich nation since 1969, and the UN has been working to support a peaceful resolution ever since.

The legal disputes and other challenges forced Libya to postpone, and later cancel, critical presidential and parliamentary elections, sparking disappointment both within and beyond the country’s borders.

Bathily, appointed in September 2022, had aimed to help Libyan parties and international partners to agree on a constitutional basis for those elections by the end of February.

He said Libya’s political class continues to face a major crisis of legitimacy, and most State institutions lost their authority in the eyes of ordinary Libyans “years ago”.

Bathily said there is lack of progress on elections.

He announced his decision to launch a new initiative aimed at enabling the organization and holding of presidential and legislative elections in 2023.

The proposed “high-level steering panel” will bring all relevant Libyan stakeholders together to facilitate the adoption of a legal framework, at a time-bound road map, for the holding of elections this calendar year.

It will provide a platform to advance consensus around related matters, such as election security, and the adoption of a code of conduct for all candidates.

On Libya’s reconciliation process, he praised strong support from the African Union and called for the holding of an inclusive conference to that end.

“Reconciliation is a long-term process that should be inclusive, victim-centred, rights based and grounded on transitional justice principles,” he said.

He reported that Libya’s ceasefire continues to hold with no violations recorded.

Mr. Bathily warned that Libya’s security situation remains fragile, and he progress must be protected.

He said the “5+5” Libyan Joint Military Commission has been working on the military track of intra-Libyan negotiations for several years, recently endorsed terms of reference for its Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration Joint Technical Sub-Committee a key component of the country’s ceasefire agreement.

The meeting between Sudan and Niger both agreed to establish a coordination and information sharing committee, to facilitate the withdrawal of mercenaries and foreign fighters from the country.

High-level Committee on Libya held in Addis Ababa, Secretary-General António Guterres pointed out that external interference has fuelled Libya’s descent into conflict.

Mr. Guterres praised the creation of a coordination committee as “an important step towards greater stability and peace in Libya and the wider region,” while emphasizing that there is “no alternative to elections” on the political track.