The UN called for a "final and courageous effort" to break the deadlock over the rules for long-awaited elections in war-torn Libya, as talks between rival institutions began in Geneva. Presidential and parliamentary elections, originally set for December last year, were meant to cap a UN-led peace process following the end of the last major round of violence in 2020. "Your presence here today is an example of responsible leadership," the UN's top Libya official Stephanie Williams said as she opened the talks. HoR-backed premier Fathi Bashagha said Wednesday in a letter to UN chief Antonio Guterres that he would "now be leading all efforts to bring elections to Libya at the earliest possible opportunity". Recent weeks have seen repeated skirmishes between armed groups in Tripoli, prompting fears of a return to full-scale conflict.

Source: Libya Today June 28, 2022 17:58 UTC