The UN Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) has kick-started the Libyan Political Dialogue Forum talks in Geneva to carry out voting for the three members of the Presidential Council and the Prime Minister’s positions in the new executive authority before elections on December 24 this year.
The first round of talks started Monday morning with an opening statement by the UN acting envoy, Stephanie Williams, who said the Presidential Council and Prime Minister positions’ candidates represent all Libyan social components.
Williams said selecting a new executive authority isn’t a form of election but a chance to practice democracy ahead of it.
Candidates of the Presidential Council positions were picked first for questions about their vision for the interim period ahead of elections.
The commander of the western military zone, Osama Juwiali, who is a candidate for the Presidential Council, said the political dialogue isn’t the same as elections, but it is some form of understandings among Libyans who went to war at some point.
Juwaili reiterated that if elected, he would make sure to work on a fixed timeline to lead to elections on time, adding that military conflicts made nationwide reconciliation fail.
