MADRID, 16 Oct. (EUROPA PRESS) –
The new United Nations envoy and Head of the Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL), Abdoulaye Bathily, has arrived in Tripoli to examine first-hand the political crisis gripping the country, once again divided into parallel administrations.
Bathily, appointed last September to replace Jan Kubis, arrived in the capital this Friday, where he was received by the Deputy Foreign Minister, Omar Katti.
The UN mission has made it known, through a statement collected by the ‘Libya Observer’, that the mediator will lead the United Nations mediation efforts to reach a sustainable and peaceful solution led by Libya and owned by Libya, as well as well as supervise the work of the mission.
The House of Representatives, based in the east of the country, ended last year the mandate of the Prime Minister of the Government of Tripoli, Abdul Hamid Dbeibé, due to the postponement of the December presidential elections and ended up appointing Fazi Bashaga, in the beginning of a conflict that has spread to the country’s energy sector, absolutely essential to sustain the economy of a nation ruined after years of civil war.
It should be remembered that Bashaga has tried to take control of Tripoli on two occasions — on July 22, clashes left 16 dead and around 50 wounded — before giving up to avoid a serious armed struggle, although the clashes have continued ever since.
“In the coming days, I will first of all communicate with all Libyan parties across the country, including civil society, women and youth groups, to hear their views on the political, economic and security situation and hear his vision for the future of his country,” Bathily adds in the statement.
The Senegalese diplomat took the opportunity to highlight as one of his priorities the identification of a “consensual path towards holding inclusive and credible national elections, which must be held as soon as possible within a solid constitutional framework.”
“Restoring the electoral process will support the promotion of national unity and stability and will renew the legitimacy of the institutions in the country,” said the diplomat.
