Libya’s Prime Minister, Fathi Bashagha welcomed the joint statement issued by five western states, and their condemnation of acts of violence, kidnapping, and intimidation in Libya.
In a brief statement on Friday, Bashagha called for respecting Libya’s sovereignty in order to lay a consensual constitutional basis leading to Presidential and Parliamentary elections.
He stressed that a major task for his government is “to conduct the elections without delay, and with full transparency,” according to the statement.
On Thursday, former Libyan Interior Minister, Fathi Bashagha was sworn in as the country’s new Prime Minister during a session at the Libyan Parliament, in the eastern city of Tobruk.
Notably, France, Germany, Italy, the United Kingdom, and the United States issued a joint statement, calling on all actors to refrain from actions that could undermine stability in Libya. They expressed their concern at recent reports of violence, threats of violence, intimidation, and kidnappings.
The statement stressed that any disagreement on the future of the political process must be resolved without resorting to violence. As well as adding that they, “stand ready to hold to account those who threaten stability through violence or incitement.”
The five countries recalled that “individuals or entities, inside or outside Libya, who obstruct or undermine Libya’s successful completion of its political transition, may be designated by the United Nations Security Council’s Libya Sanctions Committee.” This is in accordance with UNSC resolution 2571 (2021), and other relevant resolutions.
They confirmed their full respect for Libyan sovereignty, and for the UN-facilitated, Libyan-led and owned political process. The statement reiterated support for UN mediation efforts through the Secretary-General’s Special Adviser and UN mission, to sustain the country’s peaceful transition, facilitate dialogue among political, security, and economic actors, and to maintain the focus on holding credible, transparent, and inclusive elections as soon as possible.
“We encourage all Libyan stakeholders, including the House of Representatives and the High State Council, to cooperate fully with these efforts and in the next steps of the transition, as proposed by the UN, in order to establish a consensual constitutional basis that would lead to Presidential and Parliamentary elections as soon as possible,” the statement noted.
“We reaffirm our readiness to work with Libya and all international partners to build a more peaceful, stable future for the country and its people and to support its stability, independence, territorial integrity and national unity,” it added.
Recently, The Head of Libya’s Government of Stability, Fathi Bashagha called for “Libyans to be reunited, blood to be spared, and the good reform to be given its chance.”