UNSMIL: 4+4 group agrees on mechanism for appointing Head of HNEC

The United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) announced that participants in the seventh session of the “mini-meeting,” (4+4 group) tasked with addressing the first two steps of the UN roadmap, have reached an agreement on a mechanism for appointing the head of the High National Elections Commission (HNEC). They also agreed to continue consultations on the remaining provisions of the draft final agreement next week in Tunis.

In a statement issued on Wednesday, UNSMIL said it facilitated the seventh meeting in the Tunisian capital under the chairmanship of the Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General, Hanna Tetteh, where participants discussed a number of issues related to the UN roadmap.

The mission said the participants agreed on the mechanism for appointing the head of the High National Elections Commission and continued consultations on the remaining provisions of the draft final agreement. These consultations are set to resume during a meeting to be held next week in Tunis.

In late April, UNSMIL announced that the mini-meeting, during talks held in Rome, had reached an agreement on the reconstitution of the HNEC Board. Under the agreement, the Attorney General will nominate a member of the judiciary known for competence, integrity, and impartiality, who will then be appointed in accordance with the applicable rules.

Participants also agreed at that time to appoint Ali Al-Tayeb Abduljawad, Haitham Ali Al-Tabouli, and Ali Abu Salah as the House of Representatives’ nominees, and Sanaa Al-Lishani, Badioui Mohammed Badioui, and Ali Muftah Al-Mabrouk as the High Council of State’s nominees to serve on the new HNEC Board.

During the sixth meeting, held in Tunis on July 14, UNSMIL announced that participants had discussed a new mechanism for reaching consensus on a candidate to lead the High National Elections Commission.