Member of the Libyan Parliament, Misbah Douma claimed that the international community is “rejecting the Libyan-led solutions and intervening in the country since 2011.”
According to a press statement published by the Parliament, Douma said that the countries involved in the Libyan crisis are “working on their interests.”
He added that the international community deals with Libya as “a retaliatory investment project” to settle scores with the former Libyan regime.
Douma called on the UN Envoy to Libya, Abdoulaye Bathily to “clarify the mechanisms and criteria for selecting the members of the committee.”
Notably, Bathily briefed the UNSC on the latest developments in Libya. “I have decided to launch an initiative aimed at enabling the organization and holding of presidential and legislative elections in 2023. In this regard, I plan to establish a High-level Steering Panel for Libya,” he announced.
According to the UN Envoy, the proposed mechanism will bring together all relevant Libyan stakeholders, including representatives of political institutions, major political figures, tribal leaders, civil society organisations, security actors, women, and youth representatives.
Bathily noted that the initiative will “facilitate the adoption of the legal framework and time-bound roadmap to the holding of elections in 2023. The proposed Panel will also provide a platform to advance consensus around related matters, such as election security and the adoption of a Code of Conduct for all candidates,” he added.
The Libyan Parliament and its designated government, led by Fathi Bashagha denounced the new political initiative announced by the UN Envoy to Libya, Abdoulaye Bathiy during his briefing to the Security Council.
The Parliament protested against the initiative, which aims to hold Parliamentary and Presidential elections this year. It stressed that the call for the formation of a new Dialogue Committee “is one of its competencies with the High Council of State (HCS).”
The House affirmed “Libyan ownership of the political process,” explaining that it is “the only guarantor for the success of any initiatives in this regard.” It stated that the Libyan Political Agreement (LPA) limited the invitation to convening the Dialogue Committee in Parliament and the Supreme Council.”
It noted that Bathily’s briefing included “contradictions and inaccuracies” regarding the failure of the Parliament and the HCS to approve the constitutional rule for holding elections.
In turn, the Foreign Ministry of the Bashagha-led government warned of “trying to bypass the official political bodies (the HoR and HCS). As this step does not help in reaching successful and satisfactory solutions.”
It added that the UN mission will “put itself in a contradictory and non-neutral position.”
The Foreign Ministry stressed that the Skhirat political agreement “is the basis on which it relies and enhances the legitimacy of the Parliament and the HCS.”
