Abdoulaye Bathily, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Libya and Head of the United Nations Support Mission in Libya announced that he held talks with Speaker of the House of Representatives Aguila Saleh, and Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar, commander of the Libyan National Army yesterday in Benghazi.
Yesterday evening in Benghazi, I had a meeting with Marshal Khalifa Haftar and HoR Speaker Agila Saleh. The meeting focused on how to accelerate efforts towards the holding of elections with no further delay. pic.twitter.com/QLCX0R59e3
— SRSG Abdoulaye Bathily (@Bathily_UNSMIL) April 5, 2023
The discussions centered on expediting efforts to conduct elections without further delay. According to Bathily’s tweet, the leaders also agreed to intensify their efforts in fostering hope and reconciliation among Libyans. This includes engaging with leaders of the 5+5 Joint Military Commission and commanders of military and security units from across Libya.
Bathily received assurances from both leaders regarding their commitment to restoring hope for lasting peace through inclusive elections and comprehensive national reconciliation.
The meeting between Bathily, Haftar, and Saleh comes at a critical time as progress toward holding elections in Libya has been slow. The situation in Libya remains complex and fluid, with various factions vying for power and influence.