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West Urges Libyan Leaders to Agree on Pathway to Elections

The seal of the United States Department of State is seen in Washington, US, January 26, 2017. REUTERS/Joshua Roberts
The seal of the United States Department of State is seen in Washington, US, January 26, 2017. REUTERS/Joshua Roberts
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West Urges Libyan Leaders to Agree on Pathway to Elections

The seal of the United States Department of State is seen in Washington, US, January 26, 2017. REUTERS/Joshua Roberts
The seal of the United States Department of State is seen in Washington, US, January 26, 2017. REUTERS/Joshua Roberts

The United States, France, Germany, Italy and Great Britain urged Libyan political leaders to negotiate constructively to end an impasse and agree on a pathway to elections, a joint statement released by the US State Department said on Friday.

“We welcome the degree of consensus reached so far towards agreement and appreciate the work of Special Adviser to the UN Secretary General Stephanie Williams and UNSMIL,” they said.

“We call on the House of Representatives, the High State Council, and their leaders to urgently finalize the legal basis so that credible, transparent, and inclusive presidential and parliamentary elections can be held as soon as possible, as set out in UNSCR 2570 (2021), the LPDF Roadmap, the Libya Stabilization Conference, the Berlin II conference conclusions, and the declaration of the Paris Conference on Libya.”

The leaders of Libya's two legislative chambers will meet in Geneva next week for last-ditch talks on a constitutional basis for elections, the United Nations said on Thursday, although analysts see little prospect of a breakthrough.

The LPDF roadmap set the expiration of the transitional phase on June 22, provided that Presidential and Parliamentary elections are held on December 24 last year, which has not been the case.

The statement stressed “the need for a unified Libyan government able to govern and deliver these elections across the country, achieved through dialogue and compromise as soon as possible.”

“We firmly reject actions that could lead to violence or to greater divisions in Libya, such as the creation of parallel institutions, any attempt to seize power through force, or refusal of peaceful transition of power to a new executive formed through a legitimate and transparent process.”

“We urge Libyan political leaders to engage constructively in negotiations, including through the good offices of UNSMIL, to unlock the executive impasse and agree on a pathway to elections. We continue to expect the full implementation of the 23 October 2020 ceasefire agreement. Violence, incitement to violence, and hate speech are inexcusable and unacceptable,” the statement added.

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Kabbashi: Sudan War Nearing End, Arms Proliferation Poses Major Threat

Shams al-Din Kabbashi, a member of Sudan’s Sovereign Council and deputy commander of the army, said his government has no objection to delivering aid to other states, provided guarantees are in place (Sudan News Agency)
Shams al-Din Kabbashi, a member of Sudan’s Sovereign Council and deputy commander of the army, said his government has no objection to delivering aid to other states, provided guarantees are in place (Sudan News Agency)
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Kabbashi: Sudan War Nearing End, Arms Proliferation Poses Major Threat

Shams al-Din Kabbashi, a member of Sudan’s Sovereign Council and deputy commander of the army, said his government has no objection to delivering aid to other states, provided guarantees are in place (Sudan News Agency)
Shams al-Din Kabbashi, a member of Sudan’s Sovereign Council and deputy commander of the army, said his government has no objection to delivering aid to other states, provided guarantees are in place (Sudan News Agency)

The war in Sudan is nearing its end, a top military official said on Saturday, warning that the widespread availability of weapons could pose one of the biggest threats to the country’s stability in the post-war period.
Shams al-Din Kabbashi, a member of Sudan’s Sovereign Council and deputy commander of the army, told state governors in the temporary capital of Port Sudan that arms proliferation is a “major danger awaiting the state.”
“The areas that have been retaken must be handed over to the police for administration,” Kabbashi said, stressing that civilian policing, not military control, should take over in recaptured territories.
He also pointed to the need to redeploy troops currently stationed at checkpoints and security outposts in liberated regions. “We need these forces on other frontlines,” he said.
Kabbashi described the rise in hate speech triggered by the conflict as “unacceptable” and warned that Sudan would face deep social challenges once the fighting stops.
According to Kabbashi, the Sudanese armed forces are in a strong position after initial setbacks at the start of the war, as the military seeks to shift focus to restoring internal security and supporting civil governance in liberated areas.
“The situation of the armed forces and supporting units is more than good,” said Kabbashi. “We were in a bad place at the beginning of the war — now we are more than fine.”
Kabbashi added that army chief General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan is highly focused on ensuring public safety across the country, calling security “a top priority, ahead of all other services.”
He warned, however, that Sudan faces deeper challenges beyond the battlefield. “The plot against Sudan is bigger than the militia we’re fighting — they are only the front,” Kabbashi said, referring to the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) without naming them directly.
He pointed to rising crime, widespread weapons, and looting as major security threats that emerged during the war, saying state authorities would have a significant role to play in restoring order.
Kabbashi urged state governors to back police forces in their efforts to maintain law and order, emphasizing that police support is “urgently needed” during the current transitional phase.