On Monday, Italian Foreign Ministry’s Special Envoy to Libya, Nicolae Orlando held a “thorough and constructive” telephone call with Libya’s Prime Minister-designate, Fathi Bashagha.
Orlando said in a statement that they agreed that all actions that could lead to instability and violence should be avoided “I stressed the priority of elections, and the urgency of a unified and inclusive executive to get there. I also noted that all key stakeholders should put Libya before their own interests,” he added.
The Italian diplomat also reiterated that the neutrality of Libya’s National Oil Corporation (NOC) and other Sovereign state positions “should be preserved and national resources used in a transparent and equitable way.”
Last week, Orlando said that the Libyan Contact Group which includes Turkey, the United States, Britain, Italy, France, Egypt, and Germany, held a meeting in Istanbul.
The attendees agreed on the urgency for Libyan leaders to “complete the constitutional track for elections, and reach a consensus on a unified and inclusive roadmap for stability.”
They also stressed the need to preserve the neutrality of the NOC and other state sovereign positions, and ensure transparent and equitable use of national resources.
Libya has two rival armies present in the East and the West. They were engaged in a fierce conflict, before signing an UN-brokered ceasefire agreement in October 2020.
To this day, the country is struggling on its quest for democracy and elections. These were scheduled to take place on 24 December 2021, before they were postponed indefinitely, as rival factions failed to agree on laws governing the elections, and the eligibility of Presidential candidates.