The Special Representative of the Secretary-General of the United Nations in Libya, Abdullah Batili, emphasized the importance of conducting elections, noting that the Libyan people are concerned about the ongoing division that may create a situation threatening Libya's sovereignty and territorial integrity.

Batili said in a lengthy interview with the United Nations News Platform, reported by the Libyan News Agency (WAL) today, Saturday, that there is a need for a unified government that creates conditions for a favorable environment for conducting elections, and that the country can no longer tolerate the formation of another interim government.

The Special Representative of the Secretary-General in Libya confirmed his commitment to working with all Libyans to restore peace and stability to the country, which would also benefit the entire region. He mentioned that he conducted extensive consultations with key Libyan players and did not only meet with institutional leaders, but also with Libyans from all walks of life, pointing out that he visited different areas of Libya in the east, south, and west, and met with citizens concerned about Libya's future.

He added, "As you know, Libya has been experiencing about ten years of conflict, ten years of interim arrangements, and ten years of division," indicating that "the stability and peace of Libya are not only for the Libyan people but for the entire region, and I believe that the time has come to end this chapter of division and conflict so that the Libyan people can achieve the stability and peace they desperately need."

Batili pointed out that Libya has enough resources to enjoy prosperity, and that this is truly the call of the Libyan people, emphasizing that the stability and peace of Libya are not just for the Libyan people but for the entire region that has suffered greatly from this conflict.

He noted that when looking at the Sahel region, it has been experiencing conflict and the rise of extremist groups, jihadist movements, and all kinds of criminal gangs roaming the Sahel and Sahara, as well as Libya's immediate neighbors in North Africa, stressing that peace and stability in Libya today is not only for Libyans but also for its neighbors, reaffirming his commitment to work with all Libyans to restore peace and stability for this reason.

In response to a question about the feelings of Libyans that they conveyed to him during his visit to them, and what the situation looks like on the ground, Batili said that "Libyans on the ground are longing for peace and stability. They want elections because it is the only way to restore institutional legitimacy. They need those institutions, and the United Nations is waiting for these institutions to be formed," explaining that "all the current institutions that have existed for a long time, whether judicial or legislative bodies, have become outdated. There is a need to renew the legislative council, whether the House of Representatives or the High State Council."

He continued, "Libya today has two governments, one in the east and another in the west. This situation can raise more concerns about the future of a country suffering from divided political, security, and military leaderships," pointing out that "if this continues, Libya may fall into the abyss of long-term division that could create a situation where the country loses its sovereignty and territorial integrity."

Batili warned that the Libyan people are very concerned about this matter, noting that Libyans want their country to remain a united nation. This is extremely important to them.

He said, "For this reason, we as an international community must respond to that call for unity and that call for restoring Libya's sovereignty. For this reason, I continue to urge all regional and international players to stand with the United Nations and the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) to help Libyans regain their sovereignty over their country."

Regarding the recent statement issued by the members of the UN Security Council, urging Libyan political institutions and stakeholders to double their efforts to complete drawing up the electoral path as soon as possible, and how this call could provide momentum for his mediation efforts for achieving security and stability?, Batili said, "I always call on all international players to speak with one voice and act accordingly. As I said, it is important for Libya to head towards elections. For many years, elections have not been held; they were supposed to be held in December 2022, and unfortunately, they were canceled. The House of Representatives and the High State Council convened and tasked a 6+6 committee to draft electoral laws. That committee prepared electoral law drafts; however, the electoral laws are not executable as they are because they need adjustment and fine-tuning."

He clarified, "In addition to that, the issue is not only about the electoral laws, or the legal basis for the elections, indicating that the issues are highly political, and that Libyan citizens do not want their country to be led any longer by fragmented security and military institutions," as he expressed.

He continued, "As I said, in light of the divisions that Libya is experiencing today, there is a necessity for a unified political institution, a unified security institution, and unified military institutions. For this reason, we believe that the issue of unifying the government is not just a legal or constitutional matter; it is a highly political issue. Therefore, political leaders must come together and reach an agreement to form a unified government that leads the country to elections."

Batili said, "When I talk about a unified government, it is not another interim government; the country neither needs nor can tolerate another interim government. We need a unified government that can create the right conditions to foster a favorable political environment for conducting elections. I believe this is what all Libyans want today. They do not want the existence of two or three governments at the same time. They want one government for Libya and one army for Libya. They want one security apparatus for Libya not only to secure the electoral process but also to secure the citizens’ conditions."

In response to a question related to how to contain the repercussions of the recent violent clashes that took place in the Libyan capital, Tripoli, between the two largest armed factions there at the beginning of this month?, Batili replied, "These events are very unfortunate, and we condemn them. As you know, this led to loss of lives among civilians, with the number of victims reaching 50 or more. This is unacceptable. Both groups are there to secure citizens, not to shoot at them. For this reason, we believe it is important to have a unified government exercising its authority not only over the army but also over security groups throughout the country."

He added, "Libya cannot endure this, and Libyan citizens do not want their country to be led any longer by fragmented security and military institutions."

Regarding his recent statements to the Security Council about the efforts to create a Libyan mechanism for transparent public fund management finally bearing fruit, and what can be done to build on this positive development?, Batili explained that "this is a positive development, commending the role of the President of the Presidency Council. After extensive consultations with various stakeholders, specifically institutional leaders."

He said that "they agreed to establish a Libyan mechanism to oversee state spending because the citizens of Libya want to use the country's money and wealth for their benefit. There is also a need for more accountability and transparency, which is what Libyans want," expressing hope that this mechanism would be further reinforced, affirming his support for it and his readiness to assist the current structure.

He added, "There is another development related to this, which is the unification of the Central Bank of Libya that has been divided, and I also commend this step, which is a positive step in this context."

On another note, Batili expressed his concern regarding the human rights file, saying, "There are many concerns, in fact, regarding human rights. When you look at the freedom of movement of people in and out of Libya, you see that due to this institutional division and the fragmentation of security and military mechanisms, many citizens find it difficult to move freely throughout Libya."

He added that "there have been a number of arbitrary measures taken against citizens, women, and human rights groups," emphasizing that this must also stop, as Libyans have been fighting for democracy, freedom of expression, and freedom of movement throughout their country. This has been at the core of their demands for ten years.

He pointed out that "unfortunately, to this day, these demands are still on the table and have not been fully implemented. Those who are leading the country today at various levels of responsibility should support the human rights of Libyan citizens."

He added, "The issue of migration is very important. Thousands of people live under difficult conditions and are placed in detention centers, some of which are subjected to inhumane conditions, and this is unacceptable and intolerable," announcing his welcome of the recent decision made by the Tunisian government to look into this matter and rescue migrants, asylum seekers, and refugees from this ordeal.

Batili concluded the dialogue by saying that Libyans are longing for peace, stability, and prosperity. Libya is one of the richest countries in the region, and it has all the potential to be an economic power in the region, achieving prosperity for the people of Libya and for all countries in the region; the important thing is not the individual interests of states, whether they are neighbors or international partners.

Rather, the importance lies in creating favorable conditions for achieving prosperity for the Libyan people, and this prosperity will create the conditions for better cooperation and prosperity that will encompass the entire region.

He indicated that for this reason, "security, peace, stability, and economic development go hand in hand for us; these are the criteria for peace and stability in Libya. For this reason, we said that it is in the interest of international and regional partners to achieve peace and stability in Libya."