The United States Special Envoy to Libya, Richard Norland stated that the UN Envoy, Abdoulaye Bathily is currently working on a plan that will set a specific date for general elections. During a dialogue session, Norland emphasized that “there is no alternative to elections in Libya to unify the country, and restore legitimacy.”
He added that the goal now is to “ensure that all parties accept the results of the elections, even if the outcome is not what they desire.” As well as stressing the importance of “reaching an agreement between all active parties and the people on who will lead the country, so that the government can manage the electoral process on the ground and hold fair elections.”
Norland added that “there must be a credible roadmap for the elections, and the US will continue to demand this, because they learned from the lessons of the 2021 elections.”
Notably, Norland expressed his satisfaction with the “positive debate generated among Libyan leaders regarding the distribution of the country’s oil revenues.”
In a recent statement, Norland highlighted that this issue has been one of the underlying causes of conflict in Libya. He praised the efforts of the Presidential Council, Libyan Parliament, Government of National Unity (GNU), and other stakeholders in establishing a transparent and accountable revenue management mechanism.
“The US has consistently supported Libyan-led efforts to resolve this issue,” Norland stated, saying that “no foreign actors should control it.” He noted that “there has been real progress between relevant institutions in recent days and encouraged leaders to reach an agreement.”
Norland stated that “this is an opportunity to build trust, address legitimate concerns about corruption, and ensure that the vast revenues from Libya’s ongoing oil production benefit all Libyans.” He welcomed the opportunity to “exchange views with Libyan leaders on this important aspect of Libya’s future.”