Libya

The 20,000 foreign fighters now in Libya represent “a serious crisis” and “a shocking violation of Libyan sovereignty”, UN Acting Special Representative Stephanie Williams said on Wednesday, during the latest meeting under the country’s political dialogue forum. Seventy-five people from across the social and political spectrum of Libyan society are taking part in the forum, aimed at establishing a transitional body that will govern the country in the lead-up to elections next year.  

Libya’s rivals have begun a second round of talks on a mechanism to choose a transitional government that would lead the conflict-stricken country to elections in December next year, according to the United Nations.

Turkey protested to Germany and the EU on Monday after German forces belonging to an EU military mission boarded and tried to search a Turkish cargo ship that they suspected of taking weapons to Libya illegally.

An October ceasefire agreement says all military units and armed groups must withdraw from the frontlines while mercenaries and foreign fighters must Libya within 90 days.

The agreement follows UN-sponsored talks held in Brega with the head of the National Oil Corporation.

National elections in Libya will take place on 24 December 2021, Stephanie Williams, the head of the UN mission in the country, announced on Friday during a virtual press conference. The announcement came a week after talks began in the Tunisian capital, Tunis, aimed at creating an executive authority capable of organizing elections and implementing political, economic and military reforms.

Libyan delegates have agreed on a plan to hold elections for parliament and president within 18 months as part of a process to end a decade of violence and instability in the country. Acting U.N. Libya envoy Stephanie Williams called the development a “breakthrough.”

Though overdue, the 23 October Libya ceasefire deal is worthy of applause. With help from the UN and their foreign backers, the warring parties should now close the loopholes in the agreement’s text, lest rival interpretations derail movement toward peace.

Military officers from Libya’s warring parties have agreed practical steps towards implementing a ceasefire agreement, following the signing of an historic accord in Geneva last month, the UN mission in the country, UNSMIL, has reported.

Despite international efforts to find out the truth behind gross human rights abuses, the pursuit of stability has taken priority in the war-torn country. For many Libyans, transitional justice remains an elusive matter.