Iraq Lauds Libya's Rapprochement on Election Law, Commends Morocco's Mediation

Shafaq News/ Iraq's Foreign Ministry on Friday celebrated the election agreement made by Libya's Joint Committee, voicing a sanguine expectation of an auspicious consensus on the legal architecture for Libyan elections.

"We salute the Joint Libyan Committee's announcement—commissioned by the House of Representatives and the State Supreme Council (6+6)—emanating from the Moroccan city of Bouznika on Wednesday, June 7, 2023. The consensus reached by the committee members on the statutes governing Libya's upcoming presidential and parliamentary elections warrants our commendation," an official statement by the ministry read.

The statement praised Morocco's instrumental role in orchestrating this successful consensus and providing opportunities for the political parties to play a role of cardinal significance in the electoral process.

"The Kingdom of Morocco's contributory role in the orchestration of this dialogue, thus leading to the ratification of the electoral law, deserves our unreserved applause. The platform thus provided for political factions to play a pivotal role in the election process is highly commendable."

Reflecting a sentiment resonant with broader regional ambitions for equilibrium in Libya, the statement by Iraq's foreign ministry engendered aspirations for these resolutions to act as a catalyst, propelling the political settlement process in Libya. This process, it anticipates, will cater to the profound hopes and ambitions of the Libyan people.

"We hope that these conciliations serve as a fulcrum, leveraging the political resolution process in Libya forward, in a manner befitting the profound aspirations of our fraternal Libyan populace."

Earlier this week, envoys of rival Libyan factions have agreed on the legal steps to hold much delayed presidential and legislative elections in the conflict-scarred nation.

Election were due to be held in December 2021 but were never organized as differences persisted on key issues including who should run in the polls.

Libya has been torn by more than a decade of stop-start conflict since a 2011 revolt toppled strongman Muammar Qaddafi, with a myriad of militias forming opposing alliances backed by foreign powers.

The country remains split between a nominally interim government in Tripoli in the west, and another in the east backed by military strongman Khalifa Haftar.

After more than two weeks of talks in Morocco, representatives from both sides struck a deal but stopped short of inking any agreement so far in a sign some differences may still need to be resolved.

No date has yet been named for when the vote may take place.

"The members ... have agreed the laws for presidential and legislative elections," Jalal Chouehdi, who represents the east-based parliament, told reporters in the southern Moroccan city of Bouznika.

"All that is left is for parliament to ratify" the texts of the accord, added Omar Boulifa, representative for the High State Council aligned with the Tripoli-based administration.

Morocco's Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita said the agreements would be signed "in the coming days" by Aguila Saleh, speaker of Libya's east-based parliament, and Khaled Al-Mechri who heads the HSC.

Presidential and legislative elections have been repeatedly delayed over issues including their legal basis and the participation of controversial candidates including Haftar.

The talks in Bouznika, the latest attempt by both sides to reach a deal, had been underway since May 22.

In mid-March, UN envoy Abdoulaye Bathily had called on rival administrations to agree terms for elections "by mid-June".