US welcomes appointment of new UN special envoy for Libya: Blinken

Washington [US], September 4 (ANI/Sputnik): The United States welcomes the appointment of Senegalese diplomat Abdoulaye Bathily as the Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Libya and Head of the United Nations Support Mission in Libya, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres announced the appointment on Friday. Libyan Ambassador to the United Nations Taher El Sonni said at the end of last month that his country was calling on Guterres to quickly select a new special representative for Libya .
“We welcome the appointment by UN Secretary-General Guterres of Mr. Abdoulaye Bathily as the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Libya and Head of the United Nations Support Mission in Libya. The outbreak of violence in Tripoli in August underscored the unsustainability of the situation in Libya, making clear the need for all sides to work in good faith and with a sense of urgency to reach agreement on a constitutional framework and concrete timeline for elections,” Blinken said in a statement on Saturday.
He added that the US will provide full support to Bathily as he mediates the Libya-led political process and works on ensuring that free and fair elections are held in the country.
“The United States encourages Special Representative Bathily to prioritize efforts to ensure transparency and accountability in Libya’s state institutions as well as the work of the UN ceasefire monitoring mission as it assists the Libyan 5+5 Joint Military Commission in overseeing the immediate withdrawal of all foreign forces, fighters, and mercenaries,” Blinken said.
In late August, violent clashes broke out in Libya’s capital, Tripoli, between forces loyal to rival administrations. Over 30 people were killed and at least 159 were injured, according to the country’s health ministry.
The United Nations has been facilitating peace efforts in Libya since the overthrow of President Muammar Gaddafi in 2011, which left the country split between rival factions.
On March 1, the Tobruk-based Libyan House of Representatives voted for a new cabinet headed by Prime Minister-designate Fathi Bashagha, who previously served as the interior minister of the Government of National Accord (GNA). The incumbent interim Government of National Unity (GNU) headed by Abdul Hamid Dbeibeh, who was appointed last year in a UN-backed process, refused to cede power. Dbeibeh has said that he does not intend to transfer power in the country before the presidential elections, thus the country currently has de-facto two prime ministers. (ANI/Sputnik)