UN presents candidates for Libya's transitional government

The United Nations, through UNSMIL, the organisation's mission for Libya, has announced the names that will form part of the list of candidates for the Libyan transitional government, specifically for the Presidency Council and the post of Prime Minister of the country. They will be in charge of leading the country to elections to form a new government later this year.

This is the first major agreement to emerge from the different peace processes that are being developed on the situation in Libya, each one in charge of managing a series of areas to try to take small steps that will lead to progress in the rest of the matters. Both sides of the Libyan conflict, which pits the authorities in Tripoli against those in Tobruk, will meet this week in Switzerland, where the vote to elect the new transitional executive will take place.

All the candidates have certified their commitment not to participate in the elections that will take place after the transitional period with a sworn and binding declaration, in accordance with the country's law. Some of these names are well known, including Aguila Salé, the speaker of the Tobruk parliament, and Fathi Bashagha, the current interior minister.

Despite the positive aspects of this news, in addition to the military struggle of recent years, there is also the political struggle that is now beginning to gain power and positions of importance, and where the internal frictions that exist within the two sides will also be seen. This is the case on the side of the Government of National Accord governing Tripoli, where the struggle between the aforementioned Bashagha, Prime Minister Fayez al-Sarraj and his deputy Ahmed Maitiq will be decisive for the success of the transitional government.

Each of these names has political and military ties, both internally and externally, as well as a different relationship with the figures on the other side of the Libyan chessboard and, of course, with the powers that have the greatest interest in Libya's future, from Russia to Turkey, and including others such as Egypt, France and the Gulf countries.

Another of the lines of negotiation that will show progress this week is the one that brings together the 5+5 Military Committee, which is responsible for bringing the current ceasefire agreement to a successful conclusion. It will meet next Thursday in the Libyan town of Sirte, and will address a vitally important aspect: the departure of the mercenaries in the country who have fuelled and sustained this conflict.

The UAE ambassador to the United Nations, Lana Nusseibeh, said last Friday that the Gulf state was willing to collaborate in resolving the Libyan conflict by working hand in hand with the new US administration. She said she was in favour of the exit of the foreign presence in the country, stressing the importance of this.

The UAE, along with Egypt and Russia, are the main supporters of Khalifa Haftar, the military leader of the Libyan National Army, which controls the eastern part of the country and is politically accountable to Tobruk. The UAE has stated that it supports the ongoing peace processes and has announced that the transition process will bring stability, peace and prosperity to the Libyan people.