The United Nations Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) has taken a crucial step towards resolving the country’s prolonged electoral impasse by forming a committee to address contentious issues hindering the holding of national elections.
Libya has been plagued by conflict since the 2011 NATO-backed uprising, which led to a split between eastern and western factions, each governed by rival administrations.
The newly formed advisory committee, comprising 20 members, including 13 men and seven women, will convene for the first time next week in Tripoli.
Their primary objective is to develop feasible proposals to overcome the outstanding issues blocking the electoral process.
The committee’s proposals will be submitted to UNSMIL for consideration, paving the way for the subsequent phase of the political process.
It’s worth noting that the committee is not a decision-making body, but rather a time-bound advisory group expected to conclude its work within a short timeframe.
UNSMIL emphasized that the committee members were chosen for their professionalism, expertise in legal, constitutional, and electoral issues, as well as their ability to build compromise and understand Libya’s complex political landscape.
The formation of the committee comes as a significant development, especially considering the skepticism among Libyans regarding their leaders’ willingness to hold elections that might jeopardize their positions of power.
