The head of the Presidency Council of the Libyan Government of National Accord, Fayez al-Sarraj, announced his intention to hand over power within weeks to an agreed government, after progress in the dialogue between the Libyan parties, while a Turkish official revealed the imminent agreement with Russia on a ceasefire in Libya.
Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said in an interview with CNN TÜRK Haber yesterday evening, Wednesday, that officials from Turkey and Russia approached an agreement on a ceasefire and a political process in Libya during recent meetings between them in Ankara.
The handover of power
Earlier on Wednesday evening, Al-Sarraj announced his readiness to hand over his duties to the next executive authority next month, after the Libyan Dialogue Committee finishes its work.
"I announce to everyone my sincere desire to hand over my duties by the end of October," al-Sarraj said - in a speech broadcast by the official Libya channel.
He added that, since its formation, the reconciliation government has not been operating in a natural environment, but has been exposed every day to intrigues and plots internally and externally, as he put it.
He called on the Dialogue Committee to play its role in forming the executive authority in order to ensure the peaceful transfer of power.
Al-Sarraj’s statements came after the dialogue that took place a few days ago in the Moroccan city of Bouznika between two delegations from the Supreme Council of State and the House of Representatives, which was held in Tobruk (eastern Libya).
Progress towards agreement to reconstitute the Presidency Council.
Antonio Guterres said that he will soon appoint a new UN envoy to Libya (Anatolia)
A new UN envoy
On the other hand, the Secretary-General of the United Nations, Antonio Guterres, announced on Wednesday his intention to start rapid consultations to appoint a new envoy to Libya.
"We have signs of hope and our Special Representative (Stephanie Williams) is working hard to hold a next round of Libyan dialogue," Guterres said at a press conference held on the occasion of the opening of the 75th session of the General Assembly, which began on Tuesday.
Regarding the new envoy, Guterres added, "We will start consultations as soon as possible to appoint a new envoy to Libya."
On Tuesday, the UN Security Council adopted a resolution extending the mandate of the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL), for a year, until September 15, 2021.
The resolution stipulated that "the mission shall be led by a special envoy of the Secretary-General, and that there shall be a coordinator of the mission responsible for day-to-day operations and management."
Since the resignation of the UN envoy to Libya, Ghassan Salame, in early March, the position has remained vacant until today.
On March 11, the Secretary-General of the United Nations appointed Stephanie Williams as an Acting Special Representative and Head of the United Nations Mission in Libya, until Salameh's successor was appointed.