Rival Libyan Parliaments have agreed to set up a national unity government under a UN-backed plan. The Tripoli-based General National Congress (GNC) and the Tobruk-based House of Representatives will sign a UN-mediated agreement for unity government in Morocco on Wednesday, according to the BBC. The peace deal proposes a nine-member presidential council formation within 30 days alongside a national parliament.
World powers, in an international ministerial conference on Libyan crisis resolution held in Rome on Sunday, called for an immediate ceasefire and urged rival factions to sign peace deal.
"We stand ready to support the implementation of the political agreement and underline our firm commitment to providing the Government of National Accord with full political backing and technical, economic, security and counter-terrorism assistance, as requested," representatives from 17 countries including the United States, Russia, France, China and Italy said in a joint statement, according to France24.
U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, who co-chaired the meeting with his Italian counterpart Paolo Gentiloni, stressed that the unity government is a must to fight the jihadist group ISIS.
"We cannot allow the status quo in Libya to continue. It is dangerous for the viability of Libya, it is dangerous for Libyans, and now, because of the increase of the presence of Daesh [ISIS] purposefully migrating there, it is dangerous for everyone," Kerry said, according to the Guardian.
The U.N. envoy to Libya, Martin Kobler, confirmed the peace deal between the two rival parliaments, saying that representatives from both sides supported the national unity plan due to the imminent danger of ISIS expansion in Libya. The Tobruk-based elected parliament is internationally recognized, while the Tripoli-based legislature is backed by the Islamist militia, Libya Dawn.
"Critically, participants in the political dialogue highlighted the urgency, the time factor. Libya is in a race against time, it's very social fabric, national unity and territorial integrity are directly endangered by the forces of extremism and terrorism, the likes of Da'esh [also known as Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, or ISIL], which are actively consolidating and seeking to extend their influence beyond areas under their immediate control," Kobler said during a press briefing, according to a UN statement.
Libya has been in a state of civil war since Muammar Gaddafi was toppled in October 2011.
Meeting the Libyan representatives at #RomeLibya2015: EU united in supporting your agreement, ready to work together pic.twitter.com/Bk6J8bwNWT
— Federica Mogherini (@FedericaMog) December 13, 2015
Ministerial Meeting in Rome affirms support for Libyan people in maintaining unity of Libya. https://t.co/H2V8YbAo0p pic.twitter.com/kuOlcCZvUL — Department of State (@StateDept) December 13, 2015
