Top UN official in Libya faces complicated road to organise electons with differeces in Security Council
Tripoli, Libya (PANA) - The task of the Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General in Libya, Abdoulaye Bathily, to hold elections in the country is being complicated by the ever present differences in the positions of the world's major powers within the UN Security Council.
These disagreements have always had echoes at the local level in Libya, influencing the behaviour of parties to the conflict, where they harden their positions and therefore prevent concessions and complicate any solution via an intra-Libyan rapprochement.
Although there is unanimity among the members of the Security Council on the importance of elections as the only way to find a solution to the crisis, they are proposing different routes to achieve elections.
Thus, two main positions emerged during the interventions of these countries during the Security Council sessio.
The US, Britain and China support the movement towards elections after agreeing on a consensual constitutional basis without worrying about the resolution of the issue of executive power with the existence of two rival governments.
The US representative to the UN called on "Libyan leaders to genuinely engage in a process that will lead Libya to fair and impartial elections as soon as possible".
"There is no other appropriate way to form a government before the elections," Mr. Richard Mills said.
In his speech to the Security Council on Tuesday, the US diplomat stressed the need for all Libyan parties to commit to implementing the ceasefire agreement signed in 2020, in particular the withdrawal of all foreign forces, foreign fighters and mercenaries from the country.
The second point of view, defended by France and Russia, advocates the formation of a unified government capable of overseeing the organisation of elections throughout Libya as a prerequisite before resolving the issue of the legal framework for the elections.
France's representative to the Security Council, Nicolas De Rivière, recalled that his country's main objective for Libya is the formation of a unified government, capable of organising presidential and legislative elections throughout the country.
In the face of divisions fuelled by foreign interference, a new credible political roadmap leading to presidential and parliamentary elections is essential, the French diplomat said.
However, some countries such as the United Arab Emirates were more nuanced, advocating a Libyan-Libyan solution, evading the question of priorities to achieve the ultimate goal of elections.
The United Arab Emirates' delegate to the UN, Mohamed Issa Abushahab, called on the international community to "follow a unified approach in line with the Libyans' desire" and seriously consider activating the UN initiatives on Libya, especially the 2020 Berlin conference.
On the local level, the Libyan Prime Minister of the Government of National Unity (GNU) has refused to hand over power to Prime Minister Fathi Bachagha who was appointed by Parliament last March.
For him, the only alternative to the worsening of the crisis and the impasse generated by the postponement of the elections last December, is to go directly to elections.
On the other hand the Speaker of the Parliament, Aguila Saleh and the chairman of the High Council of State, Khaled Al-Mechri Indeed, agreed recently in Rabat, Morocco, to fill the regal posts, to unify the executive power by early 2023 and then work towards the organisation of elections in accordance with the roadmap of the Libyan Political Dialogue Forum.
This is despite the fact that they are still in disagreement on the criteria for candidacy in the presidential election regarding the eligibility of dual nationals and military.
This deal has been rejected by the Libyan Prime Minister who has accused the two chambers of wanting to extend their mandates through the extension in order to stay on the scene.
This situation led to a surge of tension between Mr Al-Dbaiba and Mr Al-Mechri against the backdrop of the prevention of the members of the State Council from holding a session last Monday in Tripoli devoted to voting on the constitutional basis and the appointment to sovereign positions.
Bathily said in his briefing to the Security Council that he perceived a broad consensus that Libyan institutions are facing a serious legitimacy crisis and that the restoration of legitimacy at all levels is of paramount importance.
"There is also a consensus on the need to coordinate bilateral and multilateral diplomatic initiatives and to join the UN's efforts," he added.
He urged the Security Council to send an unequivocal message to the obstructionists that their actions will not go unchallenged.
Libya's delegate to the UN, Taher El-Sonni, said that the solution in Libya requires action on a number of issues. These include an end to foreign intervention, an end to all foreign presence, including that of outlawed militias; support for national efforts to break out of the current cycle and achieve real and comprehensive reconciliation after restoring confidence between all Libyan components; and no repetition of the mistakes of the past with the expectation of a different outcome.
The UN Special Representative has started his good offices to facilitate dialogue between the main Libyan institutional actors to overcome their differences and move towards the organisation of free and fair elections.
It remains to be seen whether this initiative will resonate with Libyan policymakers and the international community.
-0- PANA BY/IS/BBA/MA 17Nov2022
