On Monday, the Deputy Head of Libya’s Presidential Council (PC), Musa Al-Koni held a meeting with Assistant Secretary-General and the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) Coordinator, Raisedon Zenenga in Tripoli.
During the talks, Al-Koni affirmed the PC’s commitment to holding the Presidential and Parliamentary elections on schedule, pursuant to the Libyan Political Dialogue Forum (LPDF).
He described the December elections as “representing a crucial step to achieve the peaceful transfer of power, and ensure the handover of leadership to an elected President approved by the Libyan people.”
In turn, Zenenga affirmed the UN’s continued support for the political process in Libya, and for holding the elections in December. He stressed support for the Presidential Council’s efforts to achieve stability, and national reconciliation.
Notably, on Sunday UNSMIL urged Libya’s leaders to stick to the 24 December timeline for the elections in hopes that it will help stabilise the war-battered nation.
It recommended that the Libyan Parliament amend its election law to hold both Presidential and Parliamentary elections on 24 December, as originally envisioned in the peace plan.
It also urged an amendment to allow candidates who already hold public office to be able to suspend their duties, and take part in the elections.
Libya has been struggling to move past the violence that has wracked the oil-rich nation since a 2011 NATO-backed uprising toppled and killed longtime ruler, Muammer Gaddafi.
A ceasefire between eastern and western factions last year led to a fragile unity government taking office in March, with a mandate to lead the country to elections.