Guterres: New Libya agreement an important step toward Elections

UN Secretary-General António Guterres welcomed the signing of the agreement reached at the small-group meeting in Libya, describing it as an important step toward implementing the political roadmap put forward by the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) and advancing the country toward national elections and an end to the transitional period.

Guterres’ position was conveyed during a briefing by his spokesperson, Stéphane Dujarric, who said the agreement signed on Sunday addresses the first two stages of UNSMIL’s political roadmap.

The first stage concerns the reconstitution of the Board of the High National Elections Commission (HNEC), while the second focuses on resolving contentious issues related to the legal framework governing presidential and parliamentary elections.

According to Dujarric, the Secretary-General views the agreement as “an important step toward moving Libya forward to national elections and ending the transitional period.”

Guterres, through his spokesperson, called on all relevant Libyan stakeholders and institutions to engage in good faith in implementing the agreement and work toward making progress on its subsequent stages.

Dujarric said the agreement “demonstrates that progress can be achieved through dialogue,” underscoring the importance of consensus among Libyan parties and institutions in overcoming outstanding issues obstructing the electoral process.

According to the UN briefing, the agreement focuses on two issues directly linked to preparations for elections: the composition of the Board of the High National Elections Commission and the legal framework governing presidential and parliamentary elections.

The agreement forms part of UNSMIL’s political roadmap, which aims to advance the political process toward national elections and bring the transitional period to an end by addressing the issues that have hindered completion of the electoral process.