The UN Secretary-General’s Special Envoy and Head of the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL), Ján Kubiš arrived yesterday in Tripoli to continue his engagements with the new interim Government of National Unity and various Libyan actors to fast-track the implementation of the Libyan Political Dialogue Forum (LPDF) Roadmap, including mobilizing the required support and resources to hold the national elections on 24 December 2021.
The President of the Presidency Council (PC) Mr. Mohamed Almenfi and his deputies Mr. Abdullah El-Lafi and Mr. Musa Alkoni received Mr. Kubiš in Tripoli yesterday, accompanied by ASG/UNSMIL Coordinator, Mr. Raisedon Zenenga and ASG/Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator, Ms. Georgette Gagnon. In the meeting, the PC leadership reiterated their commitment to implement the LPDF roadmap, including fostering a comprehensive national reconciliation process; unifying sovereign institutions; and importantly to hold the elections on 24 December 2021.
The meeting with PC leadership covered the need to accelerate the full implementation of the ceasefire agreement, including the removal of foreign fighters, and the unification of security institutions. The PC also reiterated the need for the House of Representatives (HoR) to accelerate the process of appointing leadership positions for sovereign institutions.
The Special Envoy congratulated the PC leadership for the formal commencement of their work, commending their commitment to the LPDF roadmap. He affirmed the unified support of the UN and the international community to the Libyan people as well as to the new leadership to meet their commitments within the timeframe defined by the LPDF.
The Special Envoy also met with Prime Minister, Mr. Abdelhamid AlDabaiba. He congratulated the Prime Minister on the historic vote of confidence by the HoR and smooth handover from the Government of National Accord. The Special Envoy briefed the Prime Minister on the outcomes of his visits to several European and regional capitals as well as his outreach to a number of international and regional high-level stakeholders. He assured the Prime Minister of the unanimous support of the international community to his government to address the economic, humanitarian, security, human rights, and development challenges in the country.
The Special Envoy and Prime Minister agreed on the importance of prioritizing the needs of the people, including the response to COVID-19, and the provision of essential services. They stressed the urgent need to approve the national budget to ensure service delivery, allocate resources for local governance, and to hold the national elections on 24 December 2021.
They also discussed various issues including the required UN support to expedite the full implementation of the ceasefire agreement and unification of state institutions.
Earlier yesterday, the Special Envoy met with the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ms. Najla AlMangoush, who expressed her appreciation for the UN and international community’s support extended to Libya during this critical time. She stressed the need for a more coordinated approach to address the root causes of the conflict in Libya in order to launch a comprehensive and realistic process of national reconciliation and restorative justice.
Mr. Kubiš reiterated the UN’s readiness to mobilize the technical expertise needed to assist the new government in all areas to ensure an effective transition to stability and lasting peace.
The Special Envoy will conduct a series of meetings with various Libyan stakeholders in the coming days.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL).
