The US Special Envoy to Libya, Ambassador Richard Norland emphasised the necessity of dialogue and concessions to resolve remaining political disputes in Libya. This was during a meeting with the UN Secretary-General’s Special Representative to Libya, Abdoulaye Bathily.
The two diplomats, joined by the Acting Chargé d’Affaires at the US Embassy, Jeremy Brent discussed the strong support of the United States for Bathily’s efforts to engage institutional actors in dialogue, to advance the political process.
Norland highlighted the importance of a unified plan for the reconstruction of Derna, and areas affected by floods and torrents caused by September’s storm Daniel.
This meeting followed Norland’s discussion with Tamer Mostafa, the Acting Chargé d’Affaires at the Egyptian Embassy. This addressed ways Egypt and the United States could collaborate to advance the political process in Libya, engaging with all Libyan parties to address lingering political issues.
Notably, Libyan MP, Ali Al-Soul expressed scepticism towards Bathily’s initiative, stating that it was “not accepted by Libyan factions, and further intensified the current political stalemate.”
Al-Soul claimed that international power struggles over Libya have impeded the political process. He stated that Bathily was “sent to obstruct the elections following international dissatisfaction with the agreement between the Libyan Parliament and the High Council of State (HCS).”
The MP argued that “calls for a comprehensive conference, similar to the Geneva meeting, would likely result in the same government, marked by favouritism, corruption, and plunder.”
He reiterated that the position of the Parliament, rejecting the participation of Prime Minister Abdel-Hamid Dbaiba, remains unchanged, with conditions still on the table.
He affirmed that if Dbaiba were to participate, the Libyan Parliament-designated government must also be involved.
Saad Bin Sharada, a member of Libya’s HCS openly criticized Bathily, accusing him of obstructing Libya’s electoral process. In a televised interview, Sharada alleged that Bathily’s initiatives are “extending the ongoing crisis, and causing further confusion in the Libyan political landscape.”