The Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General (SRSG) for Libya Abdoulaye Bathily on Monday called for “credible and inclusive elections to restore legitimacy to Libyan institutions and establish the stability needed to rebuild the state, the social fabric and the country,” the UN Support Mission in Libya said in a statement.
Bathily made his remarks at a meeting in the Libyan city of Sirte with the mayor and a delegation of local leaders and civil society representatives. “The SRSG listened and expressed empathy for their challenges, including infrastructure destroyed by war and inadequate health care. He [Bathily] pledged to relay their requests for support to national authorities,” the statement said.
Islamic State fighters controlled Sirte, a city some 450 kilometers east of the Libyan capital Tripoli, before the former UN-backed Government of National Accord (GNA) defeated and expelled the IS forces from the city in 2016.
The country has been in a state of political and security turmoil since the 2011 civil war that led to the overthrow of longtime dictator Moammar Gadhafi. It was divided between two rival governments: the internationally recognized GNA based in the capital, Tripoli, and the Libyan National Army based in the eastern city of Tobruk.
The House of Representatives in March 2021 formally approved the formation of a Government of National Unity with the aim of unifying the GNA and the rival Tobruk-based government. There have been numerous attempts to hold elections and form a unified government, but these efforts have been hindered by ongoing fighting, political infighting, and disputes over the terms of the vote.
Most recently, Libya failed to hold elections that were scheduled for December 2021 due to disagreements over election laws.
Additionally, the country’s security situation has been further complicated by the presence of various armed groups, some with ties to regional powers, making it difficult to hold a fair and secure election.