While acting as technical advisor in the HoR-HNEC Rome meeting, UNSMIL urges HoR and HSC to work together on constitutional basis for elections

By Sami Zaptia.

London, 26 July 2021:

While acting as technical advisor to House of Representatives Committee and the High National Elections Commission (HNEC) meeting in Rome 26-29 July, UNSMIL today urged the HoR and HSC to work together, as prescribed by the 2015 Skhirat Libyan Political Agreement (LPA), in agreeing on a constitutional basis for the planned 24 December 2021 elections.

UNSMIL explained: ‘‘At the invitation of Libya’s House of Representatives (HoR) and in line with its mandate to facilitate the holding of parliamentary and presidential elections on 24 December 2021 and provide electoral assistance as set out in Security Council Resolution 2570 (2021) and the Libyan Political Dialogue Forum (LPDF) Roadmap, UNSMIL accepted the invitation to provide support to the work of the HoR Committee, established pursuant to HoR decision 42 of 7 July 2021, and the High National Elections Commission (HNEC), during the meeting in Rome from 26-29 July’’.

It also clarified its role: ‘‘The role of UNSMIL during this meeting will be to provide technical support and advice to the HoR Committee and the HNEC in developing draft electoral laws, based on UN principles of electoral assistance and human rights principles. ‘’

However, it stressed ‘‘the importance of an inclusive electoral process and of including the High State Council in the preparation of the electoral laws, including during the meeting in Rome, in line with relevant provisions of the Libyan Political Agreement and the Tunis Roadmap regarding the preparation of the electoral legislation.

UNSMIL urges the HoR and the HCS to act in goodwill towards these objectives and to coordinate in line with the relevant provisions of the LPA.’’

UNSMIL expressed ‘‘hope that this effort and the work of the HoR Committee will be fully guided by the abovementioned principles and objectives and will result in establishing a legal framework and additional momentum for the holding of inclusive, free and fair parliamentary and presidential elections on 24 December.’’