The Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General to Libya, Abdoulaye Bathily said that “there is an increasing convergence of views that Libyan elections should take place in 2023.”
In a thread on his Twitter account, Bathily noted that ahead of his departure for the Security Council briefing in New York, he consulted with Libyan leaders.
He explained that he held consultations with the Head of the Presidential Council; Mohamed Al-Mnifi, Parliament Speaker; Ageela Saleh, the Head of the High Council of State (HCS); Khaled Al-Mishri and the General Commander of the Libyan National Army (LNA); Field Marshall Khalifa Haftar.
Bathily added that he also consulted with a delegation representing the Prime Minister of the Government of National Unity (GNU), Abdel-Hamid Dbaiba.
“I welcome the commitment of all towards finding a Libyan-led solution to the political crisis. We must all work together to end the current impasse, and meet the aspirations of the Libyan people,” he noted.
On Saturday, Saleh claimed that “external interference is the cause of political instability in the country.”
In an interview with Al-Sharq TV, Saleh added that “the Parliament is the only legislative authority in the country that has the right to take decisions and enact laws, and that the HCS has an advisory role only.”
He pointed out that the “constitutional document for organizing the electoral process must be subject to a popular referendum, before it is approved.” As well as adding that “the conflict of personal interests and external interference led to the continuation of the transitional stages in the country, and the disruption of the electoral process.”
Saleh expressed his rejection of holding elections under the supervision of the GNU, headed by Dbaiba.
“The elections are the only solution to end the crises in Libya,” he concluded.