NCUSLR Press Release on the Paris Conference on Libya

NCUSLR Applauds VP Harris's attendance at Paris Conference on Libya – and urges Focus on Five Priority Areas Critical for Election Success

WASHINGTON, DC, November 15, 2021 /24-7PressRelease/ -- The National Council on US-Libya Relations applauds the attendance of Vice-President of the United States, Kamala Harris, at today's Paris Conference on Libya. The Council agrees that her presence indeed "demonstrate[d] our strong [American] support for the people of Libya as they plan for elections later this year."

Based on its own close communication with Libyans across the country, the Council recognizes that these elections are crucial for the country's future. Protracted postponement of the elections will severely damage the credibility of any political process in the eyes of the long-suffering Libyan people.

To increase the chances of success, the Council urges the United States, France, Italy, Germany and other key friends and partners of Libya to actively pursue and implement the Paris Conference Conclusions. The Council is particularly encouraged by reports that the Conference zeroed in on the need to sanction election spoilers.

To complement sanctions, the Council urges intensive focus on the following five steps, among the myriad of election-related challenges:

1. To maximize the legitimacy of the election, maximum effort should be made to encourage Libyans to vote.
2. In order for Libyans to vote safely, maximum effort must be taken -- beginning now -- over security. The record clearly shows that extremist spoilers are activated by the prospect of elections, and can make attacks well before election day. Friends of Libya should work with Libyan actors now to create a safe and secure election environment.
3. To secure the ultimate objectives of post-election stabilization, intense efforts must be made by USA and international partners, to obtain express acceptance of the election results by all parties in Libya. Failure to secure such commitment before election day could have serious consequences to current and possibly future democratization processes.
4. To maximize the confidence of Libya's citizens and competing candidates in the election result, an intensive effort must be made for effective observation of the elections, including by prompt training of domestic election monitors and through the use of technology, including remote cameras at polling and counting stations.
5. Finally, we encourage the US and its international partners to articulate a clear vision for a strategic post-election Libya Rebuilding Plan. This would inspire and encourage Libyans to go to the polls with a sense of continued support and engagement by the US and its partners in the aftermath of the elections.

The National Council on US Libya Relations is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. The Council's mission is to strengthen U.S. engagement in Libya for a successful democratic transition and effective state-building by providing policymakers with timely and accurate information on relevant political, cultural, and economic aspects of Libya.

For more information please contact HaniShennib@ncuslr.org or EdwardPJoseph@ncuslr.org

Or visit us at https://www.ncuslr.org/

The National Council on US Libya Relations is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. The Council's mission is to strengthen U.S. engagement in Libya for a successful democratic transition and effective state-building by providing policymakers with timely and accurate information on relevant political, cultural, and economic aspects of Libya.

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