The UK Ambassador to the UN Security Council, James Kariuki, says the onus is now on the leaders of the House of Representatives and the High Council of State to finalise the legal basis for elections, as he welcomed plans for a meeting between the two heads in Geneva in the coming days.
In a statement at a UN Security Council briefing on Libya on Monday, Kariuki said the UN has been clear that, as the December elections did not go ahead, the Libyan Political Dialogue Forum roadmap has not expired.
The UK official stressed that parallel governments and parallel institutions are not in the interests of the Libyan people, and neither is unconstrained spending.
"We urge all parties to recognise that Libya’s resources must be managed in a transparent, responsible, and accountable manner throughout the country, for the benefit of the Libyan people."
Welcoming the "progress" made in the Cairo talks, Kariuki urged the leaders of the HoR and HCS to put the interests of Libya first, stressing that stability can only be achieved through an inclusive political process that includes inclusive parliamentary and presidential elections as soon as possible.
In his statement, the ambassador addressed the foreign forces issue and their presence in Libya, underscoring the need to secure the withdrawal of all foreign fighters and mercenaries from the country, including the Wagner Group.
"Their continued presence is detrimental to peace and security in Libya and the broader region... all foreign forces and mercenaries should leave Libya without delay."
Kariuki reaffirmed his country's support for the 5+5 Joint Military Commission to implement the October 2020 Ceasefire Agreement calling on all concerned parties to engage with the UN and 5+5 to honour the commitments made.
The British diplomat acknowledged that the UN is facing difficulties over the appointment of a representative to Libya.
"We have faced difficulties over the past nine months in agreeing on a substantive mandate," Kariuki said, hoping that the Council members would get into a constructive discussion on the future of the mission and agree on a longer mandate to provide UNSMIL with the stability it needs.