Aref Nayed: Elections Will Be Held in December Despite Attempts to Postpone by Turkey

Aref Ali Nayed, Chairman of the Ihya Libya Movement (Reviving Libya Movement) and Libyan Presidential candidate, said the the international community is unanimous on holding the elections on their scheduled date on 24 December 2021. He said that this international consensus has been firmly reaffirmed by the Berlin II Conference on Libya, noting that the election date is Libyan par excellence because it was agreed upon by the Libyan Political Dialogue Forum (LPDF), both in Tunis and Geneva. He said it was a binding date for all, through the UN Roadmap and the commitments signed by the new interim Government of National Unity (GNU) and the new Presidential Council—both of which emanated from the LPDF meetings. Consequently, argued Nayed, it is not possible to extend the date of this entitlement or delay its implementation.

“Everyone said no to Turkey, and Turkey will not be able, no matter how powerful and capable its forces are, to stand against the international will, especially since the elections are backed by United Nations Security Council Resolutions (under Chapter VII) and supported by the outputs of the Berlin Conferences I and II. Turkey will not be able to break the international consensus.”— Dr Aref Ali Nayed

(LIBYA, 27 June 2021) – Dr Aref Ali Nayed said during an exclusive interview with Sky News Arabia, that all the requirements for holding the elections are very important, especially the exit of foreign forces and mercenaries from all Libyan lands. Nayed added that the requirements should not be used to obstruct the holding of the elections, in the sense of using them to delay the elections, or as an excuse to disrupt the elections.

Nayed said, “The obstructing parties put the exit of foreign forces and mercenaries as a requirement, but they themselves do not want to leave!”.  He continued, “The elections will be held even with the presence of some forces, or even if scheduled phases of their exit from the country are not completed. The elections will be held because there is a clear international will to hold them. We thank the United States of America for its firmness in this regard. The Republic of France and the Arab Republic of Egypt have played an active role in standing up to attempts by Turkey to stall in this regard”.

Aref Nayed believed that everything needed to hold the elections was in place, and the High National Elections Commission (HNEC) spoke of its complete readiness and intention to start registering voters in a few days, in addition to the Head of the House of Representatives (HoR)’s confirmation that the constitutional rule and the laws regulating the elections are ready and that there is no need for further procrastination.

All Libyan regions are under a controlled force, and the international community can compel Libyan stakeholders to defend and protect the elections and allow the elections to be monitored and conducted smoothly in the areas they control. “The security issue should not be used as an excuse for further procrastination,” said Nayed.