Libya's UN-backed PM welcomes general elections

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Tripoli, Nov 17 (IANS) Libya's UN-backed Prime Minister Fayez Serraj said that he welcomed the decision to hold general elections in the country in December 2021.

"The president of the Presidential Council of the Government of National Accord (GNA) welcomes the outcomes reached by the participants of the Libyan Political Dialogue Forum (LPDF) held in Tunisia from November 7-15, which include setting a date for holding presidential and parliamentary elections on December 24, 2021," Serraj said in a statement on Monday.

Serraj also expressed full support for the elections in the statement, saying that funds will be allocated for the elections.

During the LPDF, 75 Libyan representatives consensually agreed on a roadmap to credible, inclusive and democratic national elections, according to a statement released by the UN Support Mission in Libya on Monday.

The forum was launched under the auspices of the UN shortly after the Libyan parties signed a UN-sponsored permanent ceasefire agreement in Geneva on October 23 with an aim to discuss a political roadmap to end their year-long conflict and achieve lasting peace.

The polls, intended to consist of presidential and parliamentary elections,were previously planned for early 2019. They were initially slated for December 10, 2018.

The delay was due to the start of a military operation by the east-based Libyan National Army to take control of the capital Tripoli from the GNA, in April 2019.

The deadly armed conflict ended in early June with the UN-backed government announcing takeover of all western Libya after withdrawal of the east-based army.

The fighting has killed and injured hundreds of civilians and displaced more than 150,000 others.

--IANS

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