Tripoli (SONNA) – Acting Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General and Head of the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) Stephanie Williams announced the resumption of inclusive intra-Libyan talks in early November, based on Security Council resolution 2510 (2020), which endorsed the conclusions of the Berlin Conference on Libya held on 19 January 2020.
The Libyan Political Dialogue Forum (LPDF) will be held according to a hybrid formula, through a series of virtual sessions as well as face-to-face meetings, Ms. Williams said in a statement published on the UNSMIL website on Saturday.
“In these challenging times, UNSMIL is deeply grateful to the government of the Republic of Tunisia for hosting the first face-to-face meeting of the LPDF in early November, following the preparatory virtual consultations,” she added.
The overall objective of the LPDF will be to generate consensus on a unified governance framework and arrangements that will lead to the holding of national elections in the shortest possible timeframe in order to restore Libya’s sovereignty and the democratic legitimacy of Libyan institutions.
Participants in the LPDF will be drawn from key Libyan constituencies, based on the principles of inclusivity, fair geographic, ethnic, political, tribal, and social representation, and with a firm commitment to the meaningful participation of Libyan women and youth. UNSMIL will strive to ensure broad consultations, transparency, and a rights-based approach during this Libyan-led and Libyan-owned process in which multiple voices will be heard.
In advance of the in-person political talks in Tunisia, UNSMIL will convene LPDF participants through preparatory virtual meetings, starting on 26 October. The virtual meetings will also include consultations with large segments of the Libyan society, including youth, women and municipalities, who will be requested to offer concrete recommendations to the LPDF participants.
