The UN Security Council, with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) as President, is set to hold a significant open briefing session about Libya on 19 June. The meeting will feature an address from the UN Special Envoy to Libya, Abdoulaye Bathily.
This development follows in the wake of ongoing strides toward political stability in Libya. The North African nation, rich in oil reserves, has been marred by turmoil and civil conflict since the 2011 overthrow of its long-time leader, Muammar Gaddafi.
The discord has resulted in a power vacuum, with multiple factions vying for control, causing significant regional instability, and humanitarian concerns.
A pivotal point in the Libyan political landscape was highlighted on the UN-affiliated, Security Council Report website on Sunday. It elaborated on the outcomes of the 6+6 Joint Committee, a body composed of members from both the Libyan Parliament and the High Council of State (HCS), tasked with the formulation of electoral laws.
During a week-long meeting that took place in Bouznika, Morocco on 24 May, the Committee announced an agreement to conduct simultaneous Presidential and Parliamentary elections. Progress on key contentious issues was reported, including the distribution of Parliamentary seats, election result dispute mechanisms, and guidelines for media usage during campaigns, among other matters.
Furthermore, the Committee advocated for the establishment of a unified government, in preparation for elections by year’s end. This initiative reportedly involved continual dialogue behind the scenes between representatives of Prime Minister Abdel-Hamid Dbaiba, and the Commander of the Libyan National Army (LNA), Khalifa Haftar.
However, according to the Security Council’s report, the United Nations, and several Security Council members had previously expressed reservations about the formation of yet another interim government. There is concern that this could deflect attention from their perceived main task: ensuring the successful execution of elections.