Western Embassies in Libya, on Sunday have charged primary actors in the country to conduct peaceful, inclusive, free and fair Presidential and Parliamentary elections.
Libya will have its landmark elections in December, with the Embassies of the West urging the country to begin its turnaround from the polls.
In a joint statement on Sunday by the US, French, German and Italian Embassies, and the British High Commission said the election is an important unifying and stabilising factor for Libya and must be treated as such.
The embassies’ call is coming on the back of the UN Secretary General’s Special Envoy for Libya, Jan Kubis, who said failure to hold the election in the North African country may steer a new round of rows in the country.
“Such elections, as determined in the Roadmap of the Libyan Political Dialogue Forum (LPDF) in Tunis in November 2020 and asserted in UNSC Resolution 2570, are an essential step in further stabilizing and uniting Libya, and their results should be respected by all,” the joint statement said.
They also charged the actors to have a legal framework for the election and should reflect the legitimate inputs of the Libyan people.
“We stand ready to support, at their request, the interim Libyan authorities in the organization of the elections, including through raising awareness among voters and educating the public regarding the fight against disinformation during the electoral campaign. We remain committed, also, to women’s full, equal and meaningful participation in Libyan elections, as voters, candidates and decision-makers in the political process,” it said.
Libya, who has faced external pressure over its upcoming election, was also charged to respect the law and maintain order in line with the dictates of the United Nations Security Council.
“We call for the full compliance of all actors with UNSC sanctions, including through national implementation measures against those who are found to be in breach of the UNSC arms embargo or the cease-fire, threaten the peace, stability or security of Libya or obstruct or undermine the successful completion of its political transition, including those undermining elections planned for in the LPDF Roadmap,” it concluded.
