The political forum, which concluded late Sunday in Tunisia, was the latest effort to end the chaos that engulfed the oil-rich North African nation after the 2011 overthrow and killing of dictator Muammar Qaddafi….reports Asian Lite News
Libya’s rival sides wrapped up a week of UN-brokered talks without agreeing on a transitional government that would lead the county to an election in December next year, the top UN official for Libya said Monday.
The political forum, which concluded late Sunday in Tunisia, was the latest effort to end the chaos that engulfed the oil-rich North African nation after the 2011 overthrow and killing of dictator Muammar Qaddafi.
The main goal of the gathering was to draw a roadmap for presidential and parliamentary elections. The participants agreed to hold the vote on Dec. 24, 2021, but failed to name a transitional administration to lead the war-torn country.
The 75 representatives reached the agreement at the Libyan Political Dialogue Forum, an inclusive intra-Libyan political dialogue platform, Xinhua news agency quoted Stephanie Williams, head of the UN Support in Libya, as saying at a virtual press conference on Friday.
The forum was launched under the auspices of the UN shortly after the Libyan parties signed a UN-sponsored permanent ceasefire agreement in Geneva on October 23 with an aim to discuss a political roadmap to end their year-long conflict and achieve lasting peace.
She said that the representatives have started outlining the competencies of a reformed presidency council and a government of national unity.
SIRTE, Oct. 14, 2016 (Xinhua) — Members of the forces loyal to Libya’s UN-backed Government of National Accord (GNA) gather in the coastal city of Sirte, east of the capital Tripoli, during their military operation to clear the Islamic State (IS) group’s jihadists from the city, on Oct. 14, 2016. (Xinhua/Hamza Turkia/IANS)
Participants of the talks “are taking steps to ensure that the candidates for the selection process are asked to adhere to the principles of inclusivity, transparency, efficiency, pluralism, collegiality, and patriotism”, Williams said.
The east-based army and the UN-backed government had been engaged in a deadly armed conflict for more than a year in and around Tripoli, which ended in early June with the UN-backed government announcing takeover of all western Libya after withdrawal of the east-based army.
The fighting has killed and injured hundreds of civilians and displaced more than 150,000 others.
Also read:Libya-Tunisia border crossing resumes