Ladies and gentlemen, members of the Libyan Political Dialogue Forum, I am pleased to announce the results of the vote of the second round for the selection of the new executive authority. 73 ballots were cast; there was one abstention and zero invalid ballot. The Winning ticket received 39 votes and composed of Mr. Mohammad Younes Menfi, President of the Presidency Council Mr. Mossa Al-Koni, and Mr. Abdullah Hussein Al-Lafi, members of the Presidency Council; and Mr. Abdul Hamid Mohammed Dbeibah, Prime Minister-designate. The runner-up list received 34 votes and the candidate for the President of the Presidency Council was Mr. Aqila Saleh Qwaider; Mr. Osama Abdul Salam Juwaili and Abdul Majeed Ghaith Seif Al-Nasr, members of the Presidency Council; and Mr. Fathi Ali Abdul Salam Bashagha was the candidate for the Prime Minister.

On behalf of the United Nations, I am pleased to witness this historic moment. 

The importance of the decision that you have taken here today will grow with the passage of time in the collective memory of the Libyan people.

This process, your process, has come a long way from when we first convened you virtually in October of last year. 

You overcame your differences, divisions, and the many challenges you have faced during this difficult, but fruitful journey, in the interests of your country and of the Libyan people.

You understood the burden of your responsibility and the immense value of your contributions. You fulfilled your commitments before your constituencies.

Your compatriots will remember for many years to come this national conscientiousness you have so ably demonstrated.

Our bet was that you would be able to build a truly Libyan-owned solution.  And that is what you have done.

The international community can only validate and reinforce your decisions and will be watching those you have selected to make sure they truly go back to the Libyan people on December 24 to democratically elect Libya’s representatives and political leadership.  As they have pledged to do so before you, in word and in writing.  This is a solemn obligation and one the new executive must fulfill.

The challenges are not behind you.

The Prime Minister-designate must within a period not to exceed twenty-one days, form his cabinet and present its work program along with all the outcomes of the LPDF to the House of Representatives for full endorsement and to grant confidence within a period also not exceed twenty-one days from the date of submission to the HoR.  If confidence is not granted, the matter shall be decided by the LPDF. 

The new unified executive authority should commit to translating the spirit and principles of the roadmap with actions and deeds.

First, I call on them to respect and translate the unity and inclusivity which you have built in this forum in the formation of a government that is based on merit, competence and which is representative of all Libyans, including youth, cultural components and women.

They have already committed to ensuring that women will hold at least 30% of the senior executive positions.

Second, urgent action is needed to uphold the election date on 24 December, which will require that the new government extends its full support to HNEC and to the concerned institutions to finalize the necessary constitutional arrangements for the holding of the elections in line with their responsibilities and timeline set out in the Tunis roadmap.

Third, the new unified executive must, as stipulated in the Roadmap, launch a comprehensive national reconciliation process based on the principles of transitional justice and promoting the culture of amnesty and tolerance in parallel with truth-seeking and reparation.

Fourth, the new unified executive must fully support and implement the ceasefire agreement.  This will require bold and determined action on the part of the new Government in support of the 5+5 Joint Military Commission, in particular for the reopening of the coastal road and the withdrawal of all foreign forces and mercenaries.

The reopening of the coastal road will also be critical for the delivery of basic services and to ensure free movement of goods and people, which is essential to restore the prosperity of a united Libya.

Fifth, the new executive must tackle Libya’s economic crisis and the dire living conditions faced by Libyan citizens. 

Since the oil blockade was lifted in September 2020, important progress has been achieved to enact the economic reforms needed to create a more equitable and durable economic arrangement of Libya’s oil revenues.

The re-activation of the CBL Board of Governors, the unification of the exchange rate, the progress in the financial review of both branches of the CBL, and the launch of the comprehensive audit of LIA on 11 January, have been setting the stage for the reunification of Libya’s economic and financial institutions and policies and increasing the integrity and performance of Libya’s sovereign wealth.

As we were gathering in Switzerland, Libya’s first unified national budget since 2014 was agreed upon and is awaiting promulgation by the current Presidency Council.

As stipulated in the Roadmap, the current Presidency Council and the government should continue to work in a caretaker capacity until the endorsement by the House of Representatives of the new temporary unified executive and should ensure that a peaceful transition and a constructive handover take place without delay and in the interests of the country.  All parallel authorities shall be considered null and void.

The Libyan Political Dialogue Forum has not completed its tasks. You have a critical role to play in the months ahead as the custodians and monitors of the Roadmap which you adopted in Tunis. You have demonstrated your political strength throughout this process, and you must continue to work in the same spirit to ensure that the aspirations and clear demands of the Libyan people do not remain unfulfilled and unanswered.  You must hold the new executive to account and demand that the institutions fulfill their responsibilities with regard to the constitutional process and the sovereign positions while respecting the independence of the judicial authority. 

The United Nations will continue to accompany you on this journey.   It has been my pleasure to join you and I wish you and your beloved country all the very best as you continue to come together Min Ajl Libya.