By Sami Zaptia.
London, 11 October 2021:
UNSMIL said yesterday that it had received a statement titled “Statement by Barqa Officials in the Government of National Unity,” issued following the meeting that took place in Benghazi.
UNSMIL said it takes note of the issues set out in the statement and calls on the Government of National Unity to address them without delay. It called on all parties in Libya to engage in direct and constructive dialogue to resolve all arising concerns and to continue to adhere to the Libyan Political Dialogue Forum (LPDF)’s Roadmap.
It strongly urged all parties to avoid an escalation and refrain from any action that could threaten the unity of the country and its institutions and the wellbeing of the Libyan people; pose a threat to domestic or international peace and security; and could directly or indirectly hinder the holding of elections on 24 December 2021. It recalled the respective resolutions of the UN SC that envisage possible measures against individuals or entities who obstruct the successful completion of Libya’s political transition.
UNSMIL urged the parties in Libya to work together in a spirit of compromise, acceptance of each other, and fairness, with the aim of addressing grievances and concerns through negotiation while putting the unity and stability of the country and the interests of the Libyan people first.
It reminded all concerned actors in Libya of the importance of respecting the 24 December election date set by the LPDF Roadmap and endorsed by the UN Security Council in its resolution 2570 (2021), in order to realize the aspiration of the Libyan people to elect their representatives democratically thus creating the new institutions and authorities with strong popular mandate and legitimacy.
Ultimately, UNSMIL stated that the current status quo is not only unsustainable but leads to instability and division.
