UN Libya envoy voices optimism ahead of talks
The UNSMIL-led dialogue, set to open Monday in the capital of neighbouring Tunisia.
TUNIS (AFP) - The interim head of the UN s Libya mission voiced optimism on Sunday ahead of talks aimed at preparing for elections in the war-torn North African country.
The UNSMIL-led dialogue, set to open Monday in the capital of neighbouring Tunisia, follows months of relative calm in Libya, which tumbled into chaos following the toppling of dictator Moamer Kadhafi in 2011.
Last month the two main sides in the complex conflict signed a landmark ceasefire agreement, opening the way to a resumption of economically vital oil production and progress on efforts to end years of political deadlock.
"This is a unique opportunity," UN acting envoy to Libya Stephanie Williams told journalists in Tunis. "There has been significant progress on the ground."
The latest political talks, part of a multi-track process also involving military and economic negotiations, aim to unify the country under a single executive and pave the way for national elections.
"Elections need to be the ultimate objective here," she added, calling for "a clear road map" towards polls as soon as possible.
Libya is dominated by a multitude of militias which largely back two main political camps -- the Government of National Accord in the capital Tripoli, and a separate administration in the east, supported by military strongman Khalifa Haftar.
Haftar s Russian and Emirati-backed forces launched an offensive in April 2019 to seize the capital, abruptly halting a previous planned round of UN-led talks.
But after swift advances, Haftar s forces ran into a bloody stalemate on the outskirts of Tripoli.
That lasted until June, when GNA forces with Turkish backing launched a counteroffensive that pushed Haftar s troops back to the central coastal city of Sirte, Kadhafi s birthplace.
The fighting left hundreds dead and displaced tens of thousands.
But Williams cited "progress on the ground in terms of confidence measures that have accompanied the military dialogue", as well as the resumption of domestic flights to the country s south and an uptick in oil production to around one million barrels per day.
The 75 people taking part in the dialogue were selected by the UN to represent the country s political, military and social makeup.
They joined on the condition that they renounce any claim to take part in the resulting executive, which will face the task of dealing with a bleak financial crisis and the novel coronavirus pandemic, which has left over 900 people dead in Libya and severely stretched the country s struggling health services.
"The status quo cannot continue," Williams said, urging participants "to come with spirit of compromise to be willing to make concessions for the sake of Libya."
