Libya's rival factions sign deal to hold national elections within two years

Representatives of Libya’s rival governments have signed a deal to hold national elections within two years, after months of UN-sponsored talks. The agreement, signed on Sunday, says legislative and presidential elections will be held under a single executive authority within a “period not exceeding 24 months,” according to Walid Ellafi, state minister of political affairs and communications in the internationally recognised Government of National Unity, based in Tripoli.

The signing ceremony took place in Tripoli at the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) after the UN-backed “4+4 committee” signed an initial draft in Tunis on August 20. The committee consisted of four representatives from the House of Representatives, based in eastern Libya, and four representatives from the High Council of State, linked to the Government of National Unity in the west.

The elections will be run by a unified authority and “unique national sovereign institutions,” according to the agreement.

Background: Libya’s division

Libya plunged into chaos after the ouster of longtime leader Moammar Gadhafi in 2011. It has since been run by two governments: Abdulhamid Dbeibah's internationally recognised Government of National Unity in the west, and Khalifa Haftar’s rival Government of National Stability in the east. Libya has been divided since 2014 between these two opposing administrations.

Talks to reunify the country reportedly began late last year, when both Libyan sides asked Pakistan to mediate.

Reactions from officials

Moussa Al-Koni, Vice-President of the Libyan Presidential Council, said at the signing: “Our participation today is in support of a political opportunity that must be safeguarded and built upon. An opportunity that will move Libya from managing division to bringing it to an end, and from merely waiting for elections to making tangible progress towards them.”

Abdul Rahman Al-Abbar, a member of the 4+4 Committee representing the eastern administration, said: “Today, in this important forum, with the signing of the results of the work of the 4+4 Committee, this is the culmination of work carried out by this small group of men, who have acted with genuine national will and sound intentions. They have made major mutual compromises, thanks to which we have overcome all obstacles and all difficulties.”

Shibani AbuHamoud, head of the general delegation of Haftar’s forces, said it would work with UNSMIL on a “framework within one month of the signing of the agreement to follow up on all matters related to its implementation.”

Implementation challenges

The agreement notes that if the House of Representatives and the High Council of State do not approve the deal within a month, it would be adopted nationally by the parties as a constitutional document and would receive international support through the UN Security Council.

Scepticism, however, remains over the success of the agreement, and analysts said the real problem of who governs Libya in the interim remains because they would control the country’s resources and have to deal with a sensitive security environment. Implementation continues to be the biggest challenge, and a presidential election has been repeatedly stalled due to political disputes.