The British Embassy issued statements in support of the electoral process in Libya, which is scheduled to take place on 24 December. After the United Nations reiterated its positive positions on the elections, and the need for mercenaries to withdraw from the country, the British Ambassador, Caroline Hurndall, announced her support for the Libyan High National Elections Commission (HNEC).
In a tweet, the British Ambassador described HNEC’s work as very important to ensure that the presidential and parliamentary elections are held in accordance with the agreed-upon roadmap.
This came after the United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs, Rosemary DiCarlo stressed the need to hold the elections on time.
DiCarlo said in a tweet, that she assured Libyan officials of the paramount importance of the withdrawal of foreign forces. She explained that she also discussed the situation of migrants and asylum seekers in the country.
In September, the United Nations Special Envoy to Libya, Jan Kubis warned that the failure to hold presidential and parliamentary elections as scheduled could renew divisions and reignite the conflict. He added that this will also frustrate efforts to unite the oil-rich North African country, after a decade of turmoil.
Kubis also stressed, in a video briefing to the Security Council, that “holding elections even in a less than ideal situation, with all the flaws, challenges, and risks, is much more desirable than not holding elections, which can reinforce division, instability, and conflict.”
The international community is pinning its hopes on holding the Libyan elections, according to the roadmap set by the United Nations, in order to end the crisis. Several international conferences held under the auspices of the United Nations stressed the need to establish stability in the country, and maintain the ceasefire.