TRIPOLI – Libyan military strongman Khalifa Haftar called on Friday for the formation of a unified government of technocrats to arrange long-delayed elections in place of the rival administrations now battling for power.
Since a NATO-supported rebellion deposed strongman Muammar Qaddafi in 2011, Libya has been ripped apart by a plethora of militias establishing rival coalitions backed by international powers.
The country is still divided between a purportedly temporary administration in Tripoli in the west and a Haftar-backed government in the east.
Presidential and parliamentary elections were scheduled for December 2021, but they were never held due to disagreements over important matters such as who should be permitted to run.
Following meetings in Morocco, both sides agreed on the legal measures to hold the elections last week, but stopped short of finalizing a pact, indicating that major differences remain.
The candidacy of dual nationals and servicemen is one of the contentious issues.
Haftar also holds US citizenship, and his enemies accuse him of attempting to reinstate Libya’s military dictatorship.
The United Nations, which intends to hold elections before the end of the year, has stated that it will endeavor to assist reconcile the opposing camps.
On Friday, Haftar’s self-styled Libyan National Army issued a statement urging the opposing governments to “end political divisions and form a new unified government comprised of technocrats tasked with organizing elections.”
Meanwhile, the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) announced that UN ambassador Abdoulaye Bathily had “initiated a series of meetings with political leaders in Libya, regional and international partners, and other stakeholders to hear their analysis and discuss potential ways forward.”
According to the statement, some of Bathily’s interlocutors expressed concern about the deal reached last week in Morocco, which they believed “could hinder elections from a practical and political standpoint.” It provided no further information.
Source: AFP
