Ashly Dhani
UNSMIL congratulates the High National Elections Commission (HNEC) on completing the first phase of voter registration for 60 municipalities across Libya. Despite challenging circumstances, 210,545 Libyan citizens have registered to vote in the upcoming municipal elections.
The mission commends people who registered to vote and demonstrated their commitment to choosing their local leaders. HNEC plans to publish a preliminary voter registration list for three days beginning 21 July. We encourage all registrants to verify the accuracy of their names and information.
UNSMIL also urges Libyan authorities to provide the necessary resources to facilitate the next steps in the municipal electoral process. To ensure a more inclusive democratic process, the mission encourages HNEC and other Libyan institutions to persist in their efforts to encourage women's participation – which currently stands at 29% of the total number of registered voters for the municipal councils' elections.
UNSMIL remains committed to supporting municipal as well as national elections, enabling people to freely and safely elect their leaders and renew the legitimacy of their institutions.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL).
Bongani Ndlovu