On Wednesday, the Head of the Libyan Presidential Council, Mohamed Al-Mnifi received the UN Envoy to Libya, Abdoulaye Bathily to discuss the latest political developments in the country.
In a post on its Twitter account, the UN Support Mission to Libya (UNSMIL) said that the meeting “focused on the progress made toward elections, national reconciliation, security, and military unification.”
The duo discussed “ways to establish a comprehensive national mechanism for managing oil revenues and spending.”
On his part, Al-Mnifi stressed that he will continue to communicate with various actors in Libya to help advance the political process, affirming his readiness to support any initiative that allows elections to be held before the end of 2023. In turn, Bathily stressed that national ownership is the key to success.
During his latest briefing to the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) in March, the UN Envoy announced a mechanism to bring together the various Libyan parties.
This includes representatives of political institutions, prominent political figures, tribal leaders, civil society organisations, security actors, and representatives of women and youth, to facilitate the adoption of a legal framework and a binding timetable for holding elections in 2023.
The UNSC welcomed the gradual progress of the new constitutional amendments in Libya. It affirmed its support for holding elections in the country, according to a statement seen by Italy’s news agency, Nova.
“Individuals or entities that threaten the peace, stability or security of Libya, or hinder or undermine the successful completion of its political transition, can be designated under sanctions by the Security Council,” the UNSC warned.
The UNSC emphasised the need for “a new impetus” to ensure a legal basis and political agreement, essential for the holding of free, fair, transparent, inclusive, and secure Presidential and Parliamentary elections in 2023.
The statement affirmed the UNSC’s strong support for Bathily as a “mediator to promote a political process in line with the pertinent Security Council resolutions.”
