UN launches new bid to revive Libya's elections

The United Nations is convening a fresh meeting of Libyan experts in an attempt to revive long-awaited national elections.

The experts will be charged with developing options to overcome contentious issues in the electoral laws, the acting head of the UN mission in Libya (UNSMIL) Stephanie Koury said in a statement Sunday.

''The terms of reference of this committee will also include developing options for a clear framework of governance, with milestones and priorities for a consensually established government,'' Koury added.

National elections scheduled for December 2021 were abandoned amid disputes over the eligibility of the main candidates. A UN-backed political process to resolve more than a decade of conflict in the north African country has since stalled.

In August, the Libyan parliament which sits in Tobruk in the east voted to end the term of the Tripoli-based government of Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibeh.

Libya is governed by two rival administrations based in the east and west respectively.

An election would establish a single national government, military, and unify state institutions.