The embassies of Italy and four other western powers have called on Libyan authorities to ensure national elections take place in late December in accordance with United Nations Security Council Resolution 2570, which was adopted unanimously.
"The embassies of France, Germany, Italy, the UK and the US recall the fact that UNSCR 2570 called on the relevant Libyan authorities and institutions, including the GNU [Government of National Unity] and House of Representatives, to facilitate the 24 December 2021 elections and agree the constitutional and legal basis for these elections by 1 July," said the statement.
As well as political and security arrangements, "technical and logistical preparations will be critical," the statement continued.
The statement ruled out "disruptive changes" in any of the bodies overseeing preparations for the landmark polls.
"The embassies believe that now is not the time for any disruptive changes at the relevant bodies which enable that preparation to take place within the timescale set out by UNSCR 2570," it added.
Libya's political forces agreed in February during UN-mediated talks in Geneva, to form an interim unified government to lead the war-torn country to December elections. Libyan delegates elected Abdul Hamid Dbeibeh as the new premier and Mohamed Al-Menfi to head a three-member Presidential Council.
