Geneva Talks Fail To Establish Libya Election Framework

Rabat – Talks in Geneva have stalled after delegates failed to reach an agreement to establish a framework for Libya’s first national elections. The 75 delegates of the Libyan Political Dialogue Forum (LDPF) that recently gathered in Geneva for a five-day discussion that ultimately proved unable to find a mutually acceptable configuration for the presidential and parliamentary elections, according to the UN mission in Libya.

Five days of talks concluded with little result on Friday, June 2. A UN-facilitated meeting outside Geneva had aimed to establish a framework for elections as a crucial element in Libya’s roadmap to transition out of its bloody civil war.

LDPF members are now calling for a “Proposals Bridging Committee,” in order to resolve the current impasse and find common ground. 

The failure to conclude an agreement on an election framework will come as a heavy blow to the planned roadmap that envisions a rapid transition towards democracy after years of bloodshed in the North African country. This week’s talks followed earlier meetings in December 2020 and at the end of June 2021. 

Despite the efforts of delegates and meeting’s host, the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL), the failure to conclude an agreement is creating a new obstacle on the road to a sustainable peace. 

A day before the talks concluded, the UN’s Special Envoy for Libya  Jan Kubis, used a speech to the LDPF to emphasize the importance of their cooperation. “We had a difficult session yesterday,” Kubis stated, adding that “tensions and emotions were high- naturally, as what is at stake is unity, stability, peace, and sovereignty of Libya.”

Kubis also highlighted that “there is no time and no good reason for broadening the discussion, for introducing additional issues, that can stand in the way of holding of the elections.” 

Friday’s inconclusive end of the LDPF meeting will be a new challenge for both the Libyan delegates involved and  UNSMIL members as the planned date for national elections – December 24 – looms.