By Evarist Bartolo, Maltese Foreign Minister
Libya after postponement of elections: The way forward
The postponement of the elections that were to be held in Libya today should serve as a pause for reflection of what can be learned from the past 15 months to ensure that when elections are held, they will be part of the solution and not part of the problem.
The election process must form part of a broader process that helps bring about the acceptance of the result and the formation of a government accepted in all the territory of Libya.
The electoral process must not be an illusory short cut and a substitute for the difficult and gradual work that still needs to be done to reunify the institutions and push for economic and governance reform, security sector reform, reconciliation, transitional justice and the recovery of full sovereignty and territorial integrity.
The international community, including those countries that have been involved overtly or covertly in the Libyan conflict must assist Libya address these divisive challenges. If this does not happen, the crisis in Libya, with or without elections, will go on as has happened in similar post-conflict states like Lebanon and Iraq.
Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the writer, and do not necessarily reflect those of the Libya Observer