Talks on Libya national elections begin in Cairo

Consultations by Libya’s Joint Committee of the House of Representatives and the High Council of State to determine the constitutional basis for fair, credible, transparent, and inclusive elections has begun in Cairo, Egypt.

The talks, happening under the auspices of the United Nations, were launched by the Special Advisor to the Secretary-General on Libya, Stephanie Williams on Wednesday.

“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,” the UN envoy told the delegates.

“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,” she added.

Libya’s long-elusive national elections are aimed at voting in a unified government to put the country back on the path of stability.

The North African country has been plagued by chaos since a NATO-backed uprising removed longtime leader Muammar Gaddafi in 2011.

Gaddafi’s ouster and killing created a political void that various armed factions sought to fill.

With two major factions ruling parts of the country, the UN and international partners have pushed for elections to unify the country’s administration.

The Cairo talks, announced by Williams in March, hope national elections can be held as soon as possible.

CGTN/Olajumoke Adeleke