Luigi Di Maio, the Italian Foreign Minister, has considered that holding general elections in Libya would be a public demand. “Without elections, there is a risk of instability, and with instability, the risk of terrorism increases, and the same is for migration risk, getting exacerbated,” he says.
According to the Italian Aki Agency, Maio has also indicated that the situation on the ground in Libya is not excellent despite the relative stability. He points out that the international community is fully aware of the demands and needs of the Libyan people.
“Elections desired by the people, a people calling for normality. Not going to vote means risking the stability of the entire area and could open a new phase of violence. The effects of which could fall even on our country and the entire EU,” he adds.
In the same context, the office of Mohamed Al-Menfi, the President of the Presidential Council, has issued a statement stressing the importance of the role played by the United Nations Support Mission in Libya in helping make the political process go forward, which would lead the country to hold elections in the best political and security conditions. This statement was issued after a meeting that included Al-Menfi with Antonio Guterres, the United Nations Secretary-General, on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly meetings, currently being held in New York.
Meanwhile, Guterres has stressed the need to hold timely elections at the end of this year, welcoming the dialogue courses between all parties led by the Presidential Council in Libya. He has also drawn attention to the need to work on the departure of foreign fighters to ensure the stability of Libya and its neighboring countries.
