Libya's political transition faces numerous challenges: UN envoy

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Libya's political transition faces numerous challenges: UN envoy

(Xinhua) 18:59, September 17, 2013

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The political transition in Libya is facing numerous challenges, two years after the fall of Muammar Gaddafi, a UN envoy said Tuesday.

"A combination of internal and regional dynamics continues to place a huge strain on the political process taking place in the country," United Nations Special Representative in Libya, Tarek Mitri, said in his six-monthly briefing to the UN Security Council.

In his six-page report, Mitri noted that disagreements among political forces inside the General National Congress (GNC) and the government had led to the polarization of political spectrum as well as a widespread sense of skepticism in Libya.

Mitri expressed concerns about recent escalation of clan violence, and the murdering of security officers, judges and journalists, adding that "progress in integrating revolutionary fighters into the police and the Libyan army remains very limited, as is their integration into civilian life."

"It is more evident today that pre-convinced ideas about political transition are likely to be a recipe for disappointment, if not failure," Mitri cautioned.

However, he spoke about some positive steps achieved in Libya, such as the GNC's adoption of a law for the election of a Constitution Drafting Assembly, and measures for better representation of women as well as cultural and ethnic minorities in the Assembly.

Mitri stressed the urgency of a national dialogue to defuse tensions and ensure respect for the democratic process in Libya, noting that the United Nations is involved in activities in support of national education and public awareness of constitutional issues, mainly focusing on the electoral process, human rights, transitional justice and the rule of law.

（Editor：YanMeng、Gao Yinan）