UN Special Representative Abdoulaye Bathily has warned against prolonging the interim period in Libya, saying it could become even more vulnerable to instability, as well as risk of partition.
He urged on Tuesday Libyan politicians to hold the elections “as soon as possible,” telling the Security Council that the UN should “send an unequivocal message to obstructionists.”
Bathily, who is also the head of the United Nations Support Mission in Libya, briefed ambassadors on the ongoing impasse and other obstacles to the vote, which was postponed last December.
“There is an increasing recognition that some institutional players are actively hindering progress towards elections,” he said, noting that nearly a year has passed since the polls were postponed.
Bathily warned against “prolonging the interim period as Libya could become even more vulnerable to political, economic and security instability, as well as risk of partition.”
He called for joining hands “in encouraging Libyan leaders to work with resolve towards the holding of elections as soon as possible.”
He also urged the Council “to send an unequivocal message to obstructionists that their actions will not remain without consequences.”
Bathily reported some progress on the security track through the meeting of the 5+5 Joint Military Commission, which brought its activities back on track.
“During this first joint meeting in many months, the JMC agreed to establish a sub-committee for the Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration of armed groups, which is expected to focus on the mapping and classification of the armed groups in Libya,” he said.
He urged the Council “to impress upon all actors that recourse to violence and intimidation will not be accepted and that there is no military solution to the Libya crisis.”
Bathily also expressed concern “with the lack of progress in the implementation of the JMC's action plan on the withdrawal of mercenaries, foreign fighters, and foreign forces.”
“On the economic front, the lack of accountability, transparency, and equity in the allocation of resources remains a key cause of tensions.”
The envoy welcomed the Council’s emphasis in Resolution 2656 “on the importance of establishing a Libyan-led mechanism that brings together stakeholders from across the country to set spending priorities and ensure that oil and gas revenues are managed in a transparent and equitable manner, with effective Libyan oversight.”
