Security Council calls on Libyans to ensure peaceful holding of parliamentary polls

In a statement issued to the press, the members of the Council emphasized that the elections are also an opportunity for the Libyan people to select a transitional government that meets their legitimate aspirations.

“They called on all parties in Libya to ensure that elections take place peacefully across the whole country and that all Libyans are able to exercise their rights to participate in these elections,” said the 15-member body.

Libya, which has been undergoing a democratic transition since the toppling in 2011 of former leader Muammar al-Qadhafi, has recently witnessed political tensions as well as major security developments, particularly in the eastern part of the country.

It is against this backdrop that the North African nation is preparing, with technical support from the UN, for the election of the 200-member Council of Representatives that will succeed the General National Congress.

Council members said they remain “gravely concerned” by political divisions and the worsening security situation, which must be resolved through a revitalized political process. They called on all political forces in Libya who reject terror and violence to engage in dialogue to forge consensus on the next steps and priorities of the democratic transition.

They also underlined the importance of the work of the Constitution Drafting Committee, and reaffirmed their support for the UN Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) and its efforts to facilitate a meaningful Libyan-led national dialogue.

Libyans voting on 20 February 2014 to select a 60-member assembly that will draft a new Constitution. Photo: UNSMIL