The conference organised by the Elysée Palace on the Libyan elections will be attended by representatives of countries involved in the decade-long civil conflict in the African country

Paris hosts international summit to push for Libyan elections

photo_camera PHOTO/ARCHIVO - French President Emmanuel Macron during a speech from the Elysée Palace

French President Emmanuel Macron is hosting an international summit in Paris today, Friday, to support the Libyan presidential elections scheduled for 24 December 2021, which will be followed, just one month later, by legislative elections. These elections symbolise for the country "the fruit of a difficult political process that took place under the auspices of the United Nations (UN), and are supposed to lead to the end of the chaos that Libya witnessed for a decade, as well as the end of the divisions and conflicts between the camps in the west and east", as reported by the Egyptian newspaper Daily News, citing some French media.

Macron was optimistic that "the elections are close" and that "there is a strong movement working in Libya until they are held". However, the French leader also warned of the importance of the elections, stressing that it is essential to "make the electoral process uncontestable and irreversible" and thus ensure "respect" for the outcome.

Diálogo político libio

The conference will be co-chaired by the United Nations and Libya, and will be joined by France, Germany and Italy, countries that have taken the lead in the search for a solution to the conflict. In addition, the event will be attended by representatives of other states involved in the Libyan crisis, or influential in its resolution, such as US Vice President Kamala Harris and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi. Other heads of government and state, such as Angela Merkel, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, Pedro Sánchez, Mario Draghi and Mark Rutte, will also be present. The presence of delegates from Tunisia, Niger and Chad, countries that share borders with Libyan territory and are affected by the movements of arms smuggling and mercenaries in the country, will also be significant, as well as delegates from Turkey, since the Ottoman power has done a great deal to support the Government of National Accord (GNA) in Tripoli in the development of the civil conflict. 

On behalf of Libya, the President of the Presidential Council, Muhammead Al-Manfi, has been confirmed to attend. A few weeks ago he said he was in favour of postponing the electoral process until real national reconciliation is achieved, but he is nevertheless expected to appeal to the commitment of all parties to support the holding of the elections on the established date. On the other hand, it is not yet known whether the current Libyan Prime Minister and candidate for the presidential elections, Abdul Hamid Dbeibe, will be present, although the Elysée Palace claims to have "sent invitations to both of them".

Mohamed Menfi

However, despite the proclamation of a unity government in March and the approval of a law for the holding of presidential and legislative elections in October, the reactivation of tensions within Libyan territory now casts doubt on the holding of these elections. This is why, in view of the Paris summit talks, Macron has pointed out that "stability in the country depends on these elections". 

Candidates for the Libyan elections

Following the work of collaboration and reconciliation carried out by representatives of the Eastern and Western blocs through the Joint Military Commission (JMC) 5+5 and under the international supervision of the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL), both sides of the conflict that began in 2014 have reached the necessary conciliation for the holding of these elections. 

Jalifa Haftar

Among the candidates aspiring to win the Libyan presidential elections on 24 December are Saif Al-Islam Gaddafi, son of the late dictator Muammar Gaddafi; Marshal Khalifa Haftar, leader of the Libyan National Army (LNA) on the eastern side of the country; and Abdul Hamid Dbeibe, the current prime minister in Tripoli, who is expected to run. Other possible candidates include the head of parliament, Aguila Saleh, and former interior minister and linked to Salafist militias, Fathi Bashagha. 

However, one of the problems at the root of the confrontation over the elections is the question of the candidacy of those figures who have already held a military or political post, but who have resigned from their post at least three months in advance, this being the case, for example, of Marshal Khalifa Haftar. In addition, there are other factors such as the candidacy of Muammar Gaddafi's son, questioned by international society, and the challenge posed by the flow of arms, military equipment and mercenaries from other foreign powers with interests on the ground in the Libyan conflict.

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