NEW YORK CITY: The US and the UN on Wednesday called on rival political factions in Libya to overcome deepening divisions and accelerate their efforts to organize national elections, warning that worsening economic conditions and a fractured judiciary threaten the country’s stability.
Addressing a meeting of the UN Security Council to discuss the latest developments in the North African country, Massad Boulos, the senior US adviser for Africa and Middle Eastern Affairs, said Washington would step up its diplomatic efforts in support of UN-led initiatives designed to help unify Libyan institutions and pave the way for a democratically elected government.
“Unification is the key to Libya’s stability and prosperity,” he said as he urged the nation’s leaders to reach “pragmatic compromises” on security and economic integration.
Libya has been engulfed in political turmoil and national divisions since the 2011 Arab Spring protests that led to the overthrow and killing of Muammar Qaddafi. It is split between two rival governments, in the east and the west of the country, each of which is backed by armed militias and international patrons.
The US is working with senior officials from both eastern and western Libya to advance military and economic coordination, Boulos said.
