Libyan PM, commander agree election needed: UN

TUNIS (Reuters): Libya’s internationally recognized Prime Minister and the military commander of its breakaway eastern half have met and agreed that national elections are necessary, the UN said on Thursday. Wednesday’s meeting in United Arab Emirates (UAE) was the first to be confirmed between Fayez al-Serraj and commander Khalifa Haftar since November, when they came face to face in Palermo, Sicily.

They agreed “on the need to end the transitional stages in Libya through holding general elections,” the UN Libya mission (UNSMIL) said in a Tweet. “They also agreed on ways to maintain stability in the country and unify its institutions.” The UAE has emerged as major player in the oil producing-country, whose economy and political institutions have been in turmoil since long-time leader Muammar Gaddafi was toppled in 2011.

The UN, supported by Western powers, has sought for almost two years to organize elections as a way of ending eight years of conflict. A proposed date of Dec 10 came and went date due to lack of progress in resolving differences between the heavily divided nation’s rival powers. Serraj’s spokesman confirmed a meeting with Haftar had taken place but said no date for elections had been set.