Libya Conference Says Dec. 24 Elections Should Be Held As Agreed

The second Libya conference concluded in Berlin on Wednesday with a final declaration, stressing the need for holding elections in the North African country as agreed.

"National Presidential and Parliamentary elections scheduled for 24 December 2021 need to take place as agreed in the roadmap adopted by the Libyan Political Dialogue Forum (LPDF) in Tunis in November 2020, and their results need to be accepted by all. The necessary constitutional and legislative arrangements must be adopted," read the declaration.

It also said the election results "need to be accepted by all and "the necessary constitutional and legislative arrangements must be adopted."

Hosted by Germany for the second time, the conference discussed Libya's political process, the national elections slated for Dec. 24, and the withdrawal of all foreign forces and mercenaries from the country with the participation of international actors, including Turkey.

Held under the auspices of the UN and Germany, the meeting was attended by the head of Libya's Presidential Council Mohammed al-Menfi and Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibeh, UN Special Envoy to Libya Jan Kubis, and the foreign ministers of the participating countries.

The statement also called for the withdrawal of all foreign forces and mercenaries from Libya.

"All foreign forces and mercenaries need to be withdrawn from Libya without delay," it said, noting Turkey's reservation.

The 2019 security cooperation agreement between Turkey and Libya has been credited with helping end the civil war in the country and promoting peace and unity under the legitimate government.

The communique underscored the importance of addressing and resolving the underlying causes of the conflict as well, saying the security sector needs to be "reformed and placed firmly under unified, civilian authority and oversight."

It also said a transparent and fair allocation of resources should be ensured across the country.

"Human rights violations and abuses as well as violations of international humanitarian law must be addressed and a process of inclusive, comprehensive and rights-based national reconciliation and transitional justice needs to begin. Inclusive intra-Libyan dialogue must continue," it added.

The participants reiterated and reaffirmed their commitments first made at the Berlin conference in January 2020.

Earlier in May, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said that foreign fighters and mercenaries should leave Libya, but these forces should not be confused with legitimate forces training Libya's military under a pact with the legitimate government. -