Rival Libya factions sign deal to hold national elections within two years

Representatives of Libya’s rival governments have signed a deal to hold national elections within two years after years of political divisions.

The agreement, signed on Sunday, says legislative and presidential elections will be held under a single executive authority within a “period not exceeding 24 months”, according to Walid Ellafi, state minister of political affairs and communications in the internationally recognised Government of National Unity, based in Tripoli.

The signing ceremony took place in Tripoli at the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) after the UN-backed “4+4 committee” signed an initial draft in Tunis on August 20.

The committee consisted of four representatives from the House of Representatives, based in eastern Libya, and four representatives from the High Council of State, linked to the Government of National Unity in the west.

Libya has been divided since 2014 between two opposing administrations: the internationally recognised government and an eastern administration backed by renegade military commander Khalifa Haftar.

Shibani AbuHamoud, head of the general delegation of Haftar’s forces, said it would work with UNSMIL on a “framework within one month of the signing of the agreement to follow up on all matters related to its implementation”.

However, the agreement notes that if the House of Representatives and the High Council of State do not approve the deal within a month, it would be adopted nationally by the parties as a constitutional document and would receive international support through the UN Security Council.

Scepticism, however, remains over the success of the agreement, and analysts said the real problem of who governs Libya in the interim remains because they would control the country’s resources and have to deal with a sensitive security environment.

While the UN and other mediators have been trying to unify the country since 2011 after a rebellion toppled and killed leader Muammar Gaddafi, implementation continues to be the biggest challenge. A presidential election has been repeatedly stalled due to political disputes.