The United States and the United Nations on Monday welcomed an agreement between Libya's rival political camps on key electoral disputes, calling it an important step toward breaking the country's prolonged political deadlock and holding long-delayed national elections.
U.S. Senior Adviser for Arab and African Affairs Massad Boulos described Sunday's signing as an "encouraging step forward" in Libya's political process and praised the parties for reaching common ground on key electoral issues.
Boulos urged Libyan factions to capitalize on the agreement by moving ahead with its implementation and working toward national elections, unified state institutions and greater stability.
U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres also welcomed the draft final agreement, saying it represented significant progress toward ending Libya's lengthy transitional period.
"The agreement marks an important step in advancing Libya towards national elections and ending the transitional period," U.N. spokesperson Stephane Dujarric told reporters.
The agreement was finalized Sunday by Libya's 4+4 Small Dialogue Committee, which brings together representatives from the Tripoli-based Government of National Unity (GNU) and authorities in eastern Libya.
The committee has held U.N.-sponsored negotiations since April as part of efforts to overcome the political impasse, establish conditions for elections and ultimately reunify Libya's divided institutions.
According to the U.N., the deal addresses the first two milestones of its political road map: restructuring the High National Election Commission and resolving disputed legal provisions governing presidential and parliamentary elections.
As part of the restructuring, Dhaou Ibrahim Attia was named chairman of the election commission's board, with Sana al-Lishani appointed deputy chair.
The agreement was signed at the headquarters of the U.N. Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) in Tripoli in a ceremony attended by international diplomats and representatives of Libya's legislative bodies.
Guterres urged Libya's political actors and state institutions to implement the agreement in good faith, with the U.N. saying the breakthrough demonstrated that progress remained possible through political dialogue.
Libya has remained politically divided between the GNU, led by Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibah in Tripoli and controlling much of western Libya, and an eastern administration headed by Osama Hammad and appointed by the House of Representatives in 2022. The eastern authorities administer much of eastern and southern Libya.
Repeated attempts to hold nationwide elections and unify the country's institutions have stalled amid disputes over electoral laws, candidate eligibility and control of state institutions.
