Libya working towards a democratic transformation, President tells UN

Mohamed Younis Menfi, President of the Presidential Council of the State of Libya, addresses the general debate of the General Assembly’s seventy-seventh session.

Libyan President Muhammad Yunus Al-Manfi told the 77th session of the UN General Assembly on Tuesday that as it moves towards building a State of institutions and establishing principles of democracy, his country has through a decade of “pain and hope”.

He upheld his commitment to the Libyan Political Agreement, and as “the supreme political authority” will lead efforts to prepare for a peaceful and democratic transfer of power through presidential and parliamentary elections.

The most senior Libyan official thanked the African Union (AU) for its cooperation in launching a national reconciliation project, which represents the most important track for the country to reach its desired goal of peace and stability.

Moreover, he stressed the need for time limits during dialogues between the House of Representatives and the State Supreme Council, offering his willingness to intervene “to get the political process out of its impasse whenever necessary”.

Role of the UN

Mr. Al-Minfi noted positively the UN’s involvement in Libya and envisioned an active role through the country’s new leadership.

He urged the Organization to seriously work to support comprehensive national solutions to the political impasse, noting that it has almost undermined the political achievements gained through the UN-sponsored Libyan dialogue.

The President also called for restoring economic momentum and reducing the “power of corruption”.

External interference

The Libyan leader stated that proxy wars and conflicting visions for a solution in his country is preventing a national option from being formed.

He said that negative international interventions are still charting paths of “contradictory solutions” that could push Libya into armed confrontations and lead to rigid political positions that bar approaches to bridging gaps and building partnerships in the country.

Managing oil

Turning to the economy, Mr. Al-Manafi maintained that the Libyan Presidential Council supports every effort to resume oil and gas production throughout all regions of the country.

He underscored the Libyan Presidential Council’s keenness for transparent and fair oil revenue management to neutralize public money from the political conflict and ensure, without political or geographical discrimination, that it benefits all Libyans.

The President expressed his hope that this may alleviate the severity of the economic situation and the ongoing struggle over the executive authority, while also providing a more stable environment for a democratic transformation.

UN News