Libya: The Special Representative announces that the Advisory Committee has reached an agreement on the mechanism for selecting the executive authority
The Acting Special Representative of the Secretary-General of the United Nations in Libya, Stephanie Williams, announced in Geneva today, Saturday, that the advisory committee emanating from the Libyan Political Dialogue Forum reached an agreement on the mechanism for selecting the executive authority.
During her press conference held today in Geneva, coinciding with the end of the committee meeting, which was opened last Wednesday, Williams explained that the terms of the agreement had been shared with the 75 members of the forum earlier this afternoon, noting that the vote on this mechanism Will be next Monday.
The UN official described this agreement as “a decisive step towards achieving the goals that we have set in Tunisia,” saying that the members of the advisory committee have truly risen to the level of occasion and fulfilled their responsibilities, bearing a constructive spirit, participatory efforts and a high patriotism, expressing her sincere thanks to them for the spirit of brotherhood, solidarity and commitment to developing The interest of the country and the Libyan people first and foremost.
Voting path
The Special Representative explained that based on the proposal drawn up by the advisory committee, each electoral college separately nominates an assembly representative to the Presidency Council, relying on the principle of consensus in selection (70 per cent).
But in the event that this is not possible, then it is directed to form lists from all regions consisting of 4 persons, each of whom determines the position to which he is running (Presidency of the Presidential Council, membership of the Presidential Council, Prime Minister).
In order for the list to be shown for the vote in the hall, Williams stated that each list must receive 17 recommendations (i.e. 8 from the West, 6 from the East and 3 from the South), indicating that the list that gets 60 per cent of the votes in the hall wins in the first round. . And if none of the lists gets this percentage, the two lists that get the highest percentage will compete in the second round, provided that the list that wins 50 per cent + 1 of the votes is chosen in the plenary session.
On Monday, January 18, 2021, the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) will invite the Libyan Political Dialogue Forum to vote on the proposed mechanism. Voting on the mechanism will take place over a 24-hour period. The results will be announced on January 19, 2021, after voting is completed.
The necessary approval threshold is set, as agreed by the Advisory Committee, at 63 per cent of the voting participants. If this percentage (63 per cent) is not achieved, the mission will hold a second round of voting two days later. The necessary threshold for approval in the second round is set at 50% +1 of the voting participants.
A decision that respects the regional dimension
The Acting Special Representative commended the decision reached today, saying that it was the best settlement that could be reached, because this proposal, according to Williams:
- The regional dimension respects;
- People are already encouraging people to rise above their divisions and regions in order to enhance understanding and build unity in the country;
- It embodies the principles of inclusiveness, transparency and equitable representation across regions and within different population groups.
The UN official stressed in her press conference today that “the United Nations will not participate in any way in preparing the lists.”
An interim executive with a clear mandate
As previously indicated, Williams said, “This solution is a Libyan-Libyan solution,” and the role of the United Nations is limited to support and facilitation.
The Special Representative reminded the meeting that the executive branch that would soon be chosen was a unified, temporary executive.
“This interim executive authority has a clear and limited mandate that ends with the elections on December 24,” she explained.
She emphasized that the goal was to define a unified executive selection mechanism that embodies these principles.
Addressing the Libyan people, she concluded, “With this progress, we have witnessed, your representatives in the advisory committee who have a patriotic sense and a spirit of commitment have fulfilled their obligations, as you know, and have done so admirably.”
Source: United Nations website
