The Secretary-General of the United Nations, “Antonio Guterres,” warned that the continuation of the political stalemate in Libya will thwart the aspirations of the Libyans and their right to choose their representative through free, fair and inclusive elections for all.
“The Libyan people, who registered in large numbers to participate in the December 2021 elections, have the right to live in peace, to choose their leaders through ballot boxes, and to enjoy the bounties of their country. There is no alternative,” Guterres said in his recommendations, which he included in his periodic report to the UN Security Council on the situation in Libya. for the elections.
Guterres stressed that a transparent, inclusive and participatory transitional justice process is what can lead to sustainable peace in Libya, welcoming the efforts of the government of national unity to improve transparency and accountability in the use of state funds through regular reporting.
Guterres called on all the actors to cooperate with the high-level committee for the elections proposed by the UN envoy, Abdullah Batili, in order to finalize the preparations for the elections.
Guterres commended the progress made by the “5 + 5” Joint Military Commission in implementing the initial framework for the unification of the armed forces, and welcomed the establishment of liaison committees affiliated to the Joint Military Commission of Chad, Sudan, Niger and the African Union, calling at the same time the need for the withdrawal of foreign fighters and mercenaries to mitigate the impact on coastal countries.
He also stressed the importance of the need for a victim-centered and rights-based national reconciliation to address the internal division, pointing out that no process can lead to a sustainable peace other than a transparent and inclusive transitional justice process for all Libyans.
Guterres called for working to manage the country’s wealth and resources in an accountable, fair, transparent and effective manner, and to ensure proper supervision over them.
Guterres urged the security authorities in Libya to end the campaign of intimidation against civil society actors who exercise their rights to peaceful assembly and freedom of expression, as such behavior is alarming.
The Secretary-General called for additional steps to be taken to organize an inclusive national reconciliation conference, led by the Presidency Council and with the support of the African Union.
Guterres stressed the need for the national reconciliation process to ensure the meaningful participation of women, youth, ethnic minorities and other vulnerable groups, stressing that the United Nations will continue to support the Libyan partners and the African Union in this regard.
Source: Libyan News Agency