Assalamu Alaikum
Distinguished members of the Structured Dialogue,
Welcome to the virtual plenary meeting of the Structured Dialogue.
Over the last several months, the four tracks – governance, economy, security, and national reconciliation and human rights – have held discussions that are critical to the future of the country. Your collective efforts in debating issues and identifying recommendations are shaping a national agenda or vision for Libya – one steeped in justice and dignity– and which can help address some of the most pressing challenges and priorities affecting the Libyan people.
These discussions have not been easy, but they are important. I have enjoyed listening to dynamic and at times heated exchanges and was inspired by the seriousness in which everyone assumed this important duty.
We are now a little over a month away from the conclusion of the Structured Dialogue in early June. This means we are at the final stretch to make sure that recommendations you put forward are solid, pragmatic and implementable, and genuinely reflective of the aspirations of the Libyan public. As we said repeatedly, the outcome of the Structured Dialogue is only as strong as the quality of the recommendations you produce. Our ability to advocate with you, on your behalf also depends on how strong, consensual and implementable the outputs are and how much we can rally the wider Libyan public behind the recommendations.
When we began the Structured Dialogue, we asked each track to address two sets of issues: (1) immediate policy and governance issues to prepare conducive environment for elections, and (2) medium- to long-term conflict drivers to formulate a unified national vision for the future of the country.
Today’s virtual plenary is focused on the first set of issues related to enabling a conducive environment for holding of national elections to see how each of thematic recommendations come together.
- The Governance track examined how to overcome the political impasse over the first two milestones of the UNSMIL-facilitated roadmap needed to take the country to elections, in view of the lack of progress by the House of Representatives and the High State Council. They also looked at other elements that can accompany the electoral process to ensure acceptance of electoral results and peaceful transfer of power, as well as mandate and guarantees of an electoral government.
- The Security track examined what conditions need to be in place to create conducive environment for elections and made recommendations on election security; conflict prevention and maintaining the 2020 ceasefire; and security sector governance.
- The National Reconciliation and Human Rights track focused on arbitrary arrest and detention, freedom from discrimination, freedom of opinion and expression as well as of association and peaceful assembly, in order to safeguard an open civic space to create an enabling environment for credible elections as a cornerstone of democratic governance based on the will of the people. In addition, members discussed rule of law issues and the crucial role of an independent and unified judiciary as a foundation for the legality of elections and for identifying realistic pathways out of the current judicial deadlock.
- The Economytrack discussed urgent measures to stabilise the economy, improve living conditions, and support a conducive environment for credible elections.
Each track looked at enabling elections from their thematic angle. The goal today is to hear from respective tracks on the progress made and take stock of these recommendations in a holistic manner to formulate an integrated national vision. To ensure we achieve the intended outcome, today’s comments on the recommendations, if it differs from what was presented, should be accompanied by alternative suggestions and a substantive rationale for any proposed changes. We will subsequently work to consolidate all points raised so that the final recommendations will complement one another and help advance justice and dignity for the Libyan people.
Ladies and gentlemen,
One of the key characteristics of the Structured Dialogue is in inclusivity – this is also what gives the Dialogue its strength and value-added that other platforms do not have. The composition reflects that, and so does the diversity of views reflected in the discussions. And women constitute half of the Libyan population.
The Libyan Women’s Caucus convened before and after each track session to identify women’s shared priorities and recommendations for the substantive topics discussed within the four tracks. I was impressed by the active and substantive contributions by the women members throughout the dialogue process. The priorities they have identified, in addition to those included in the Libyan Women’s Charter, were shared by the women members in the tracks. I was disheartened to hear that their demands for fair representation of women, non-discrimination and abolishment of structural barriers for women’s participation in political, security and economic decision-making, were, at times, met with automatic resistance. I encourage you to listen and ensure that your contributions as the Structured Dialogue reflect the perspectives and aspirations of all Libyans across the country, including Libyan women, as only recommendations that reflect the needs and rights of the whole population, can lead to a unified, peaceful and prosperous Libya.
Ladies and gentlemen,
A series of engagements with external experts and wider Libyan society were organized to ensure the Structured Dialogue builds on existing Libyan efforts and the recommendations you put forward are in alignment with peoples’ priorities and aspirations.
Through the digital youth platform, we engaged more than 3,200 young Libyans from across the country. The online discussions were also fed back into the four thematic tracks. We also had youth volunteers who interviewed Structured Dialogue members and UNSMIL leadership, and developed content to spread the important work of the Structured Dialogue.
The persons with disabilities’ priorities, as articulated in their Charter, were shared with the members of the tracks and integrated into the sessions to mainstream disability inclusion as a cross‑cutting issue across the Structured Dialogue.
Toolkits have also been developed to support civil society organizations and community leaders hold their own discussions and submit community-led recommendations and ideas back into the Structured Dialogue.
During the April in-person session, UNSMIL presented the outcomes of the UNSMIL outreach and surveys, including the most recent online survey we did on the issues that were collectively identified as priorities for the respective tracks.
Through the surveys, Libyans voiced a clear message: legitimacy, accountability and inclusion are urgent national priorities. The surveys found out that public confidence in governance and institutions remained low, yet there is overwhelming consensus—nine in ten—that elections are needed, provided they are protected from interference and upheld by credible safeguards. Corruption, weak services and political division, according to the surveys, continued to affect daily life, especially in the South, while economic pressures, unemployment and the cost of living dominate public concerns. Security perceptions remained mixed, with limited trust in security institutions. At the same time, there was strong demand for rights-based national reconciliation grounded in justice—removing corrupt actors, ending impunity, compensating victims and ensuring democratic representation as the foundation for sustainable peace.
The Structured Dialogue thematic tracks also had an opportunity to interact and exchange views with their respective Berlin process working group counterparts and build regional and international support.
All of these efforts combined are intended to make your recommendations that much stronger.
Distinguished members of the Structured Dialogue
We are at a critical stage of the political process. The recent Panel of Experts report has also highlighted the severity of the challenges we are up against.
The UNSMIL roadmap was conceived to help overcome the country’s de facto division through a negotiated governance arrangement leading to institutional reunification, relegitimization of institutions and preserving Libya’s unity. It also strived to resolve Libya’s legitimacy crises through national elections as a step to long term stabilization.
Eight months since the roadmap was announced, the House of Representatives and the High State Council have not been able to achieve the first two milestones despite our continuous engagement and efforts. To move the process forward, I outlined an alternative, two-step approach – inspired by the discussions in the governance track of the Structured Dialogue – to convene a small group of Libyan stakeholders to identify solutions to achieve the two initial milestones; followed by a broader convening, if necessary, drawing on procedures set out in existing Libyan political agreements. The mission is working tirelessly to this end.
Let me be clear. The small convening will not replace the work of the Structured Dialogue. The small convening is targeted, complementary mechanism to address the specific bottlenecks i.e. the electoral framework and HNEC. The purpose of the Structured Dialogue is to shape national vision and priorities for legislative and policy reforms through inclusive Libyan-led and Libyan-owned dialogue.
The Structured Dialogue is important as it helps the country identify national priorities that would support a stable, peaceful and prosperous Libya. The next phase of the political process will be built on your efforts, and used to push for critical reforms by the governing entities.
In closing, I thank you again for your effort and dedication, and I look forward hearing your preliminary recommendations today.