Italy on Monday lauded the accord reached at the weekend between Libya's rival political forces on a proposed mechanism to choose a new unified executive that will lead the war-ravaged country to elections slated for 24 December.
"Italy recognizes and appreciates the progress accomplished by the LPDF Advisory Committee," tweeted ambassador to Libya Giuseppe Buccino.
The 75-member Libyan Political Dialogue Forum was due Monday to vote on the proposed mechanism to pick a transitional government agreed by the forum's 18-member advisory committee on Saturday in Geneva, where ongoing talks are taking place.
"This is a new step towards a unified executive authority with a view to preparing for elections in Libya in December 2021," Buccino's tweet added.
Under the LPDF panel's proposals, each region's electoral college names a representative to a three-member presidential council, UN's acting envoy for Libya Stephanie Williams told reporters in Geneva.
A prime minister is to be chosen by the forum, with the successful nominee requiring 70 per cent of votes, Williams said.
Williams said the LPDF - which represents Libya's three main regions - would vote over a 24-hour period on the proposed mechanism, which results expected on Tuesday.
Italy's former colony, Libya has been split since 2014 between rival factions in Tripoli in the west and Benghazi in the east, with the country's rival administrations enjoying support from various regional powers.
Italy and Turkey support the internationally recognised Government of National Accord in Tripoli while warlord Khalifa Haftar’s eastern-based Libyan National Army and allied administration is supported by the United Arab Emirates, Russia and Egypt.
Libya has been in turmoil since the Nato-led ouster of late dictator Muammar Gaddafi in 2011, with a myriad of armed groups vying for control of the oil-rich country.
