The acting UN envoy to Libya, Stephanie Williams, said on Sunday she was "
optimistic
" for the Libyan talks which will begin Monday in Tunis with the aim of arriving at a roadmap for the elections in the country in prey to chaos.
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Libya is currently torn between two rival authorities: the Government of National Unity (GNA) in the West, based in Tripoli and recognized by the UN, and a power embodied by Khalifa Haftar, strongman of the East supported by part of the elected Parliament and its president, Aguila Saleh.
The talks will bring together in Tunis, capital of neighboring Tunisia, 75 Libyan participants representing rival forces: members of the Parliament of Tobruk (east) and of the High Council of State (west), as well as participants selected by the UN, to try to get out of the political crisis in Libya.
This dialogue follows months of relative calm in a country that sank into chaos after the fall of Muammar Gadhafi's regime in 2011. Last month, the two main parties to the conflict signed a ceasefire agreement landmark, paving the way for a resumption of economically vital oil production and progress in political negotiations.
"
Elections, the ultimate goal
"
This meeting is "
a unique opportunity
" after years of chaos and instability, said Sunday Stephanie Williams at a press conference in Tunis.
“
This cannot continue,
” she added, urging participants “
to come with a spirit of compromise to be ready to make concessions for the good of Libya
”.
“
Elections must be the ultimate goal here.
We need a clear roadmap towards the elections
”, which are the solution to impose the“
legitimacy of the different institutions.
"
Interrupted on several occasions since the Skhirat (Morocco) agreements in December 2015, the Libyan political process was undermined by the military offensive of Marshal Haftar who tried, unsuccessfully from April 2019 to June 2020, to take the lead. control of Tripoli.
Encouraged by the UN, the two rival camps returned in September to the negotiating table with thematic meetings: institutional in Morocco, military in Egypt and political in Switzerland.