Special Envoy of the UN Secretary-General and Head of the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) Jan Kubis yesterday met with the Chairman of Libya’s High National Elections Commission (HNEC), Dr. Imad al-Sayeh in Tripoli. The Special Envoy was briefed about the progress made so far by the HNEC in the preparation for holding parliamentary and presidential elections on 24 December 2021. He praised HNEC’s extraordinary efforts to implement the election, despite technical challenges in a short timeframe and amid a heavily polarized political climate.

“The high number of registered presidential and parliamentary candidates, as well as  – over 2.4 million voters who collected their cards  – demonstrates, beyond any doubt, that the Libyan people, from across the country are yearning for an opportunity to elect their representatives and renew the democratic legitimacy of their institutions,” Special Envoy said. “Attempts to prevent the Libyans from exercising this democratic right must be condemned and measures against those who obstruct the political process, elections should be taken in accordance with existing Libyan laws and relevant Security Council resolutions,” he added.

The meeting also touched upon needs and challenges facing the implementation of the electoral process, including electoral-related violence and acts of threats and intimidations against judicial employees and candidates. The Special Envoy used the opportunity to express his full support to the work of the judiciary during the challenges and appeals process and his expectation that the judiciary will act professionally will diligently follow the law and will not yield to the pressure or intimidation when working for free fair and inclusive elections. He renewed the firm commitment of the UN and its international partners to support the HNEC and relevant authorities to deliver free, fair, inclusive, and credible elections, with the full, equal and meaningful participation of women and the inclusion of youth, in an environment free from threats and intimidation.

Special Envoy Kubis echoed the calls of the recent UN Security Council presidential statement and Paris Declaration on all stakeholders and candidates to respect their commitments towards holding elections on 24 December 2021, to publicly commit to respecting the rights of their political opponents before, during, and after the elections and to accept the results of elections. He stressed that, in accordance with relevant Security Council resolutions, individuals or entities who threaten the peace, stability, or security of Libya or obstruct or undermine the successful completion of its political process, including by obstructing or undermining the elections, maybe designated for Security Council sanctions.