On Saturday, the Head of the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL), Abdoulaye Bathily, urged all Libyan institutions, including the Presidential Council, the Parliament and the High Council of State (HCS) to engage in dialogue in search for a solution and the acceleration of on-going efforts.
In a statement published by UNSMIL, Bathily further urged the Parliament and the HCS to agree on a mutually acceptable location and date for their meeting. He noted that the meeting should come up with concrete, implementable and timebound proposals for a consensual way out of this crisis.
The UN Envoy called on all Libyan citizens, as well as public institutions, including the Presidential Council, Judiciary and Security Institutions, to make their voices and concerns heard through democratic and transparent procedures in a concerted effort to end the current deadlock.
He said that the people of Libya deserve the opportunity to cast their ballot and chose their future leaders.
Bathily said, “since my arrival in Libya, I have called on political actors to accelerate discussions on the way forward in the political process, and to create the conditions for the holding of free and fair elections, on the basis of a sound constitutional basis.”
“I have strongly encouraged Libyan leaders to hold meetings inside the country, which would send a strong signal to the population that they have the country’s interests at heart. Most meetings between Libyan actors should take place on the Libyan land as it is the most adequate venue for deliberations among the citizens at all levels.”
The UN Envoy added that he was therefore pleased to hear that the Speaker of the House of Representatives (HoR), Ageela Saleh, and the President of the HCS, Khaled Al-Mishri, had agreed to a meeting under UN auspices, in the city of Zintan, on the 4th of December. The purpose of this meeting was to set in motion a process towards the holding of elections, including the finalisation of the constitutional basis.
He explained that “for logistical reasons beyond our control, this important meeting for the resumption of the political dialogue between the HoR and the HCS cannot take place in Zintan.”