The United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) has welcomed the outcomes of the Cairo meeting between members of the Libyan House of Representatives and the High Council of State. In a statement issued on Saturday, UNSMIL expressed its support for all efforts aimed at achieving Libyan consensus that facilitates a Libyan-led and Libyan-owned political process leading to national elections.
UNSMIL reaffirmed the necessity for any steps in this direction to be inclusive and to establish a clear path towards elections.
“The mission encourages the members of the two councils participating in the Cairo meeting to build on the agreements reached and to adopt an approach that includes other relevant Libyan parties, so that the outcomes of their meeting lead to a politically viable solution,” the statement said.
UNSMIL also indicated that, under its mandate provided by UN Security Council Resolution 2702 (2023), it will continue its efforts to reach the political agreement needed by Libya to address all contentious issues.
Notably, Speaker of the House of Representatives Ageela Saleh confirmed the implementation of the joint statement issued by the House of Representatives and the High Council of State in Cairo on Thursday and the commencement of procedures to form a new executive authority in accordance with the constitutional declaration and its amendments.
Ageela Saleh described the joint statement by the House of Representatives and the High Council of State as a positive step in the right direction, according to the media office of the Speaker of the House of Representatives.
On Thursday, members of the Libyan House of Representatives and the High Council of State convened in Cairo and agreed to form a unified government.
This crucial decision marks a major step toward ending Libya’s prolonged political crisis. The representatives called on the House of Representatives to open the process for candidacies, receive endorsements, and review candidates’ files to establish a “Government of Competence” that will oversee the country’s affairs.
In their final statement, the attendees underscored the necessity of conducting presidential and legislative elections based on mutually agreed laws issued by the House of Representatives. They emphasized the importance of broadening the circle of consensus and proposed a roadmap as the primary path to completing the essential steps leading to these elections.
The statement also highlighted the critical need to intensify and unify efforts to end the political and institutional division that exacerbates corruption, inflation, and the unprecedented deterioration of citizens’ living conditions. Additionally, they called on the international community to support national consensus, respect Libya’s sovereign decision-making, and ensure the unity and integrity of Libyan territory.
