Libya at ‘delicate and critical juncture’ ahead of landmark elections: UN envoy

He reported that the governmental clime remains “heavily polarized” up of the statesmanlike and parliamentary polls, which are being held successful enactment with a roadmap adopted past twelvemonth pursuing a historical ceasefire and the constitution of an interim government. 

Even though Libyans are anxious to formed their votes, “vocal opposition” persists surrounding the ineligible model for the elections, said Mr. Kubiš, who has precocious resigned. 

A delicate juncture  

Tensions are besides rising implicit the eligibility of immoderate high-profile statesmanlike candidates, arsenic are fears of equipped confrontation.   

The envoy urged objectors to transmission their concerns done existing judicial mechanisms and to respect the verdicts. 

“Libya continues to beryllium astatine a delicate and fragile juncture connected its way to unity and stableness done the ballot boxes”, said Mr. Kubiš, who besides heads the UN ngo successful the country, UNSMIL. 

“While risks associated with the ongoing governmental polarization astir the elections are evident and present, not holding the elections could gravely deteriorate the concern successful the state and could pb to further part and conflict”. 

Libya’s High National Election Commission (HNEC) has confirmed that the archetypal circular of statesmanlike elections volition beryllium held connected 24 December.  

Candidates measurement forward 

The 2nd round, arsenic good arsenic the parliamentary elections, are acceptable to instrumentality spot 50 days later.  All last results volition beryllium announced simultaneously. 

Registration for statesmanlike candidates ended this week. Mr. Kubis said that a preliminary database was expected connected Thursday afternoon, with immoderate 98 people, including 2 women, putting their names forward. 

Candidates see the interim Prime Minister, Abdul Hamid Dbeibah, and Saif-al-Islam Gaddafi, lad of erstwhile President Muammar Gaddafi, who was deposed successful 2011, pursuing which the state descended into crisis, with 2 rival administrations battling for powerfulness until recently.

The ongoing registration for parliamentary elections volition reason connected 7 December.  So far, much than 2,000 people, including 276 women, person stepped guardant arsenic candidates. 

‘Yearning’ to vote 

Meanwhile, astir 2 cardinal elector cards person been distributed to date.  Additionally, much than 3,200 home observers, 320 nationalist media representatives, 20 planetary media, and 9 planetary reflection organizations person applied for HNEC accreditation. 

Mr. Kubiš said the precocious fig of registered voters and candidates shows Libyans “are yearning for an accidental to elite their representatives and springiness them a mandate to govern Libya done antiauthoritarian legitimacy”. 

This aspiration indispensable beryllium fulfilled, helium added, underlining the request for planetary enactment to safeguard the integrity of the electoral process.  

He stressed that portion the judiciary volition person last connection connected immoderate objections raised, whether concerning the process oregon the statesmanlike candidates, the last determination volition yet beryllium made by the Libyan people.  

“It is the Libyans that person their aboriginal and the aboriginal of Libya successful their hands”, said the Special Envoy.  

“They should enactment successful the elections, ballot for those that are committed to stable, prosperous, united, sovereign and antiauthoritarian Libya, governed by the regularisation of instrumentality and committed to combat corruption, prosecute nationalist reconciliation, justness and accountability”. 

Special Envoy resigns 

Mr. Kubiš besides addressed his determination to measurement down, having submitted his resignation missive to UN Secretary-General António Guterres past week. 

Given the ongoing governmental and information transitions successful Libya, arsenic good arsenic the “delicate and analyzable electoral processes”, the request for a UN-mediated process and bully offices relation has intensified, helium said. 

Therefore, helium has suggested that the Head of UNSMIL should beryllium urgently relocated to the capital, Tripoli, which helium has agelong supported, on with splitting the positions of Special Envoy and UN ngo chief.  

“In bid to make conditions for this, connected 17 November 2021, I tendered my resignation”, said Mr. Kubiš, who has expressed readiness to proceed for a transitional play covering the electoral process. 

Speaking connected Tuesday, UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric said Mr. Guterres has accepted the envoy’s resignation “with regret” and is moving connected an due replacement. 

“We are each afloat alert of the electoral calendar and are moving arsenic rapidly arsenic imaginable to guarantee continuity of leadership”, helium said.