On Saturday, Libyan activist, analyst, and political advisor at Ihya Libya Bloc, Ali Hamuda stated that the European Union “has not had a unified position on Libya over the last ten years,” noting that the North African country was subjected to “long years of conflicts and disagreements.”
In an interview with ‘Speciale Libia’ Magazine, Hamuda stated that “the vision has now become clear, and the danger has come to haunt everyone. As for Italy, it is the country that has the greatest interest in the stability of Libya, but at the same time, it should work on the long-term future, not just the short.”
He noted that the situation “should not be exploited for temporary gains, and current deals that may disturb the permanent relationship in the future. The interest of the Italian people is in building a true partnership with Libyans, and not with outgoing governments.”
Hamuda voiced his support for the UN Envoy to Libya, Abdoulaye Bathily’s electoral plan, adding that “all initiatives for the Presidential elections in Libya will face challenges, but at the same time, we believe they are the only way out of fragmentation and collapse.”
He added that the “majority of the Libyan people, as well as all those who follow the Libyan political situation, see that Parliament and the High Council of State (HCS) are clinging to power, despite their expiration a long time ago. They have proven time and time again that their interest is in the continuation of the status quo.”
He also stressed the importance of continuing efforts to unify the military establishment, praising the important role being played by the Chiefs of Staff to unify the Libyan Army, and pave the way for elections.
The analyst reiterated that “all foreign forces pose a threat to Libyan sovereignty and impede stability,” calling for their complete removal from the country. He noted that the UN Mission, led by Bathily is “doing a good job in this regard, and the Libyan military parties should also play their role in this file.”
In addition, Hamuda urged the Parliament Speaker, Ageela Saleh and the Prime Minister-designate, Fathi Bashagha to “support the elections and end the parallel authority as long as reality proves the failure of the possibility of making it a single and unified authority for the country. “
He added that “fighting corruption necessitates speeding up the renewal of legitimacy, and pressuring everyone to speed up the Presidential and Parliamentary elections.”
As well as voicing his hope to “see a partnership with the US after supporting fair and transparent elections. The role of Washington in the stability of Libya is important and pivotal, and the Libyans have not seen any seriousness from Americans in the past. We hope that the US role will help the 2.8 million Libyan voters who are seeking to choose their own leadership, without procrastination. It should also be supportive of establishing the principles of democracy, in which the most important element is transparency and the fight against corruption, and there should be no duplication in any standard of democracy. Common universal human values do not bear double standards.”
Hamuda also hailed the Emirati, Saudi, and Egyptian support for holding Presidential and Parliamentary elections.
“Stability is in everyone’s interest, and the Libyan file is not currently considered a point of contention among the Arabs. I do not see any change resulting from the Saudi-Iranian rapprochement. The negative international interventions currently in Libya are almost vanishing,” he concluded.
