Press briefing of the Acting Head of the United Nations Support Mission in Libya
Libyan Cloud News Agency – Geneva
The Acting Head of the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL), Stephanie Williams, held a press briefing after the meeting of the Advisory Committee of the Libyan Political Dialogue Forum (LPDF) in Geneva.
Williams said that the LPDF is a Libyan-Libyan process that is not being brokered by foreign powers in smoke-filled rooms in faraway capitals.
She stated that the roadmap that was charted in Tunis in November 2020 is the first critical step to renew the political legitimacy of Libyan institutions and to restore their sovereignty through the holding of national elections on December 24 of this year.
“The Roadmap set out a very reasonable timeframe for the politicians and the relevant institutions to live up to their responsibility to complete these steps – with built in contingencies in the event the institutions fail or impede the process.” She remarked.
She pointed out that the Libyan Political Dialogue Forum also agreed on the need to restructure the executive authority to govern Libya in the run-up to these elections.
“This new, unified government would be tasked with putting in place the necessary conditions for the elections to take place. It will also launch national reconciliation that will seek to combat corruption and restore the delivery of public services across the country.” Williams added.
She declared that the Advisory Committee had reached agreement on a recommended selection mechanism that has now been shared with the remaining members of the Libyan Political Dialogue Forum.
She explained that The Plenary will vote on this mechanism on Monday. According to her, each electoral college shall separately nominate their respective representative to the Presidency Council based on the principle of agreement and selection 70 per cent. If this is not possible, lists shall be formed from all regions. Each list shall consist of 4 persons who will specify the position for which they are running.
“In order for the list to be presented for voting by the Plenary, it must receive 17 endorsements (8 from the West, 6 from the East, and 3 from the South). The winning list shall be the one that receives 60% of the votes of the Plenary in the first round. If none of the lists receive this percentage, the two lists that received the highest percentage shall compete in the second round. The winning list in that round shall be the one that receives 50%+1 in the Plenary.”She further explained.
Williams concluded that the LPDF members will vote on the proposed mechanism on the mechanism on Monday over a 24-hour period and the results will be announced on January 19, 2021.
The threshold for agreement that was agreed by the Advisory Committee on the selection mechanism is 63% of those who participate in the vote. If this percentage of 63% is not attained, the members will conduct a second round of voting that will be held two days later. The required threshold for agreement for the second round is 50%+1 of those who participate in the vote.
