Libya: UN special representative advocates a high-level panel to overcome the crisis

The special representative of the UN Secretary General in Libya, the Senegalese Abdoulaye Bathily, on January 22, 2023. AP - Yousef Murad

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The UN special representative in Libya, the Senegalese Abdoulaye Bathily, proposed on February 27, 2023 before the United Nations Security Council the establishment of a high-level panel bringing together all the Libyan actors to overcome political blockages in the country.

Elections scheduled for December 2021 had been canceled.

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The UN special representative in Libya,

, launched an initiative on February 27 to overcome the political deadlock in Libya and manage to organize " 

" general elections in 2023, as the States have already wished. United a little earlier.

The Senegalese presented his initiative to the United Nations Security Council as he made his monthly assessment of the situation in this country.

To achieve these elections and get Libya out of the dragging transition period, the UN envoy explained that it was necessary to bring together all the Libyan actors whom he described as "relevant": 

 of politicians, important political figures, tribal chiefs, leaders of civil society organizations, women and young people...

The role of this high-level panel would be, according to Abdoulaye Bathily, to facilitate the adoption of a legal framework, a roadmap and a timetable for the holding of the ballot this year.

This committee must also advance a consensus around the security of the elections and the adoption of a “ 

 ”, specifies the envoy, calling on the members of the UN Security Council to support his approach.

Political showdown over the profile of the next president

Since the

, the agreement on the legal framework still comes up against the profile of the next president.

The western Libyan camp refuses that he is a soldier or of dual nationality while the eastern camp refuses the exclusion of anyone.

Critics of Marshal

fear that he will impose himself on power and seek to have these two conditions as a guarantee that he does not run.

The eastern camp, on the contrary, wants to allow a soldier and a bearer of dual nationality to be able to present themselves.

With the persistent deadlock and divisions between Parliament and the Supreme Council of State, Abdoulaye Bathily is seeking to have the constitutional framework for elections adopted by this high-level panel.

It is not excluded either to appoint a new Prime Minister to organize the elections in place of

, himself currently Prime Minister but who is now part of the problem.

The camp of the East refuses elections organized under its aegis.

Moreover, Dbeibah is in the process of launching his political party in order to present himself as a presidential candidate.

► See also The African Union plans a "national reconciliation conference" in Libya

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