UN sets dates for Libyan transitional govt selection
Reuters, Ahram Online, , Friday 22 Jan 2021
The UN said on Thursday that dialogue members would vote on candidates for the new government's leadership positions in Switzerland from Feb. 1-5


The United Nations Libya mission said on Thursday that nominations for leadership of a new unified transitional government must be made within a week and voting on candidates would take place in early February.

The UN in November gathered 75 Libyan participants in a political dialogue in Tunis aimed at setting a roadmap to national elections that they set for late December.

After weeks of wrangling, the dialogue members this week agreed on rules for selecting a new three-member presidential council and a prime minister to oversee the run-up to the election.

The UN said on Thursday that dialogue members would vote on candidates for the new government's leadership positions in Switzerland from Feb. 1-5.

Libya has been divided between two authorities in Tripoli and Tobruk for six years. Commander Khalifa Haftar's Libyan National Army (LNA) controls the east and is allied to the Tobruk-based House of Representatives.



The LNA is backed by Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, France, and Russia.



Meanwhile, the Government of National Accord (GNA) in Tripoli is supported by Turkey and Qatar.



On 22 August, both parties to the conflict declared a ceasefire that ended fears about possible GNA aggression against the port city of Sirte, 370 kilometres east of the capital Tripoli and Jufra, which has a major military airbase.



The ceasefire has been followed by rounds of peace talks in Egypt, Morocco, Tunisia and Switzerland to discuss post-war arrangements.



So far, the Libyan parties agreed to hold national elections in December 2021, develop "criteria, transparent mechanisms, and objectives" for key power positions, work on the release of all prisoners, protect oil and gas facilities and completely resume production and export activities.



*This story was edited by Ahram Online

https://english.ahram.org.eg/News/399394.aspx