Amid ongoing developments around Libya’s forthcoming elections, and the efforts of Libyan institutions, the official Spokesman for Egypt’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ahmed Abu Zeid, affirmed Egypt’s “full support for a Libyan-led/Libyan-owned solution.” He underscored the “importance of respecting the roles of Libyan institutions, when carrying out their tasks, without any foreign intervention from any party.”
Abu Zeid further emphasised Egypt’s assertion of the pivotal role of both the Libyan Parliament and the High Council of State (HCS), in accordance with their prerogatives in the Skhirat Agreement. This is to fulfil all necessary frameworks to conduct simultaneous Presidential and Parliamentary elections, as soon as possible.
He urged all international parties to “adhere to these indispensable principles and parameters, to respect the will of the Libyan people, and the Libyan ownership of the settlement, refraining from any actions that could bypass the role of institutions.” This call comes as a measure to “prevent complications, with a focus on Libyan stability and sovereignty, and in line with the aspirations of the Libyan people.”
The support of Egypt, a key regional player, underscores the collective commitment towards a stable, sovereign, and democratic Libya, as the nation embarks on a critical phase of its political transition.
Notably, the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) has urged the Libyan Parliament to “avoid unilateral actions in addressing the ongoing political stalemate in the country.”
In a recent statement, UNSMIL noted the approval of a roadmap and nominations for a new government by the Parliament, but emphasised the need for “an inclusive political agreement to ensure stability and peace in Libya.”
Guided by Security Council resolution 2656 (2022), UNSMIL’s Head, Abdoulaye Bathily has been engaging with all Libyan institutions and key stakeholders, to agree on a roadmap for elections. The aim is to “deliver elections across the country as soon as possible, on a constitutional and legal basis, through dialogue, compromise, and constructive engagement, in a transparent and inclusive manner.”
The mission warned against actions that could inflict serious negative consequences for the country, and trigger further instability and violence. “Unilateral actions could cause further polarisation amongst the population, which has already been suffering from deep divisions for over a decade,” it added.
Bathily is intensifying his engagement with major stakeholders, in order to facilitate a political settlement to enable successful elections without delay.
UNSMIL has delivered its comments regarding the framework for elections to major Libyan stakeholders. The document is a product of discussions with all major Libyan stakeholders, that highlighted areas of concern on the electoral framework.
The Mission said it expects these issues to be seriously considered, before the electoral framework is finalised in an inclusive manner.
UNSMIL warned against all actions that undermine “the people’s continuous demands for national elections.” It called on all Libyan actors to “come together in a spirit of compromise and draw lessons from the past. A peaceful and democratic resolution will bring legitimacy to Libyan institutions, and ensure stability for the country.”
