Libya holds UN-brokered talks on national elections in Cairo

The Joint Committee of Libya’s House of Representatives and High Council of State on Wednesday started consultations in Cairo to determine the constitutional basis for the upcoming elections, the UN Support Mission in Libya said in a statement.

“It is the belief of the Libyan public that the ultimate solution to the issues that continue to plague Libya is through elections, held on a solid constitutional basis and electoral framework that provides the guardrails for an electoral process which clearly defines milestones and timelines going forward,” Stephanie Williams, adviser to the UN secretary-general for Libya, told the delegates from the two bodies.

“You have a critical role to play in making your voice heard in support of your 2.8 million fellow Libyan citizens who have registered to vote,” added Williams, who launched the talks.

Libya was expecting to hold presidential elections on Dec. 24, 2021. However, the elections were postponed indefinitely because of technical and legal issues, according to the High National Elections Commission.

In March, Williams announced an initiative to form a joint committee of the House of Representatives and the High Council of State to reach a firm constitutional basis to hold national elections as soon as possible.