Lana News
Libyan News Agency
Latest News

UN special envoy to Libya, Stephanie Williams in an interview with Anatolian News Agency: Libyan elections are possible, and solution is not in new transitional government.

Pulbished on:

 Tripoli, 16 January 2022 (Lana) The UN Secretary General Adviser on Libya Stephanie Williams has expressed optimism that Libyan elections will be held before June.

 In an interview with Turkish Anatolia news agency, Williams said the United Nations "played an important role in Libya to support Libyans and negotiating efforts related to the country's future." She noted that the Berlin conference and related Security Council resolutions provided an "international umbrella" that contributed to the "bringing Libyans together", and that the United Nations was the "most honest actor" in the process, which had brought the Libyan parties together under one roof.

 Williams said the Libyan parliament has set up a committee to draw up a road map by consulting with the country's actors. She noted that the committee in question is expected to submit its report in addition to a package of recommendations to Parliament on January 25th.

The UN adviser explained that she had visited various areas of Libya, from east to west, spoke to Libyans and shared various views. "There are those who say that there is a need for a constitutional basis for the continuation of elections, and there are those who want the draft constitution to be put to a referendum, and there are also those who want the list of presidential candidates to be subject to some kind of judicial review, to remove the blockage and go directly to the elections," she said.

 "There is not a single view that prevails on the Libyan street, and we at the United Nations certainly participate in this political process and understand the complexities associated with each of the views put forward," Williams said.

Williams noted that the parties in Libya are willing to continue negotiating, noting that Libya has been in transition since 2011. "Libya needs permanent, democratically elected institutions capable of providing security and services to the population, and securing the country's borders," Williams said, adding that "the best way for this to happen is for Libyans to go to the polls."

 As to whether there is a timetable proposed by the United Nations for the Libyan elections, Stephanie Williams said: "We have a road map approved by the Libyan Political Dialogue Forum. A road map that runs until June this year." "I think that elections are still possible in this time frame, this may include different scenarios, and I think it is more important than ever for the Libyan people to have a political horizon in this regard."

"Libya is living in a positive atmosphere towards peace and stability on the ground," she said. "I don't see any desire on the part of Libyans to return to war at this time, now Libyan rhetoric has changed, everyone is using civilized political discourse instead of waving war, and this is a very important development," Williams said. "The priority is national reconciliation, this work falls within the responsibilities of the Libyan presidency, and we have encouraged the Presidency, the House of Representatives and the Supreme Council of the State, to assume their responsibilities in this regard," Williams said.

On the possibility of forming another transitional government in Libya, Williams said the focus in the next phase should be on completing the electoral process. "Libya has experienced five transitional periods, and I don't think the solution will be to form a new transitional government." "The solution is through the formation of a fixed-minded political horizon that leads to the selection of an elected government, an elected president, and of course a more permanent situation based on a strong legal and constitutional basis," Williams said.

=Lana=