Germany and the United Nations are set to host an international conference on Libya on Wednesday aimed at unlocking the country’s stalled peace process.
Diplomats from nine states, including the UAE, US and Egypt will gather in Berlin together with Libya’s unity government leaders, amid concern about the presence of foreign forces in the country and delays in organising elections planned for December.
A notable success of the United Nations mediation process has been that a ceasefire it negotiated last October to pause a six-year civil war remains in force.
However, a key part of that agreement was an instruction for foreign forces to leave Libya within 90 days, which has thus far been ignored.
United States officials say their priority is persuading foreign forces to pull out.
“There are negotiations underway with some of the key actors aimed at trying to remove some of the mercenaries, the foreign fighters,” US envoy Richard Norland told reporters on Monday.
The UN estimates there are 20,000 foreign troops and mercenaries in Libya, many of them lined-up either side of a front line stretching south from the central coastal town of Sirte. French president Emmanuel Macron is hoping to garner support for a plan for a staged withdrawal of those forces, which include Syrian mercenaries deployed by Turkey and units from Russian private military contractor Wagner.
A more immediate worry for diplomats is lack of progress on arranging elections planned for December 24, the date chosen to mark the 70th anniversary of Libyan independence.
Libya’s unity government, headed by Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibah, was installed in March but its mandate expires in December. If the planned elections are delayed, there are fears the country will split along an east-west axis, with the prospect of further military confrontation.
Planning for the elections is stalled over the issue of the constitution. Libya’s parliament is beset with disagreements over what form of government should be elected in December, and notably whether Libya should have a directly-elected president.
Libya’s High National Elections Commission (HNEC) wants a decision on the constitution by July 1, to give it time to arrange polling stations and give political parties time to campaign.
One option diplomats will debate today is whether to sidestep Libya’s parliament and hand the job of choosing a constitution to a UN-chaired mediation group, the Libya Political Dialogue Forum (LPDF).
The LPDF, consisting of 75 Libyan figures, created Mr Dbeibah’s unity government in March and appears to have a consensus for creating a constitution based on a two-house parliament and president.
However, the LPDF has no formal role in Libyan politics, with its members chosen by the UN, not the Libyan people, and there may be resistance to a constitution imposed on the country without voters having a say.
One solution being discussed is that a national referendum is held on the new constitution to give it legitimacy. But time is short to organise a referendum and election in the space of six months.
Pressure on Libya’s politicians to make sure the elections happen on time will come from the European Union. Earlier this week, it announced it will impose sanctions on “persons and entities obstructing or undermining the elections.” The sanctions will include travel bans and asset freezes, and could apply to politicians stalling on the constitution and military leaders whose forces interfere with the process.
Libyan Foreign Minister Najla Mangoush acknowledged the "reluctance and delay" in enacting recommendations set at the last Berlin meeting in January.
“We have noticed since the first conference of Berlin a lot of reluctance and delay in implementing its recommendations despite the fact that the parties concerned have reached a ceasefire," she said in an address to the Libyan people shared online.
"So, we have considered setting up a specific timetable to especially guarantee the implementation of relevant UN Security Council resolutions. We will no longer accept that our recommendations and decisions just look good on paper.”
A reminder that Libya’s civil war is on hold, rather than over, came on Monday when the new government failed to re-open the coastal highway linking its key cities, Tripoli and Benghazi.
The day before, video from the Reuters news agency showed Mr Dbeibah on a bulldozer clearing an earth barrier near Sirte that has blocked the highway since April 2019. But on Monday afternoon General Ahmed Almasmari, spokesman for the eastern-based Libyan National Army, said the road will remain shut because the re-opening decision rests not with the prime minister but with the UN-appointed Joint Military Committee which has not yet authorised it.
One bright spot for diplomats is that the Libyan public are enthusiastic about the prospect of elections. While national politics is deadlocked, the HNEC has had success in hosting a string of local elections across the country over the past two years, and voter registration is high. In late May HNEC chief Emad Sayeh said that technical and logistical details for holding elections are already in place, with the agency 70 per cent ready to hold a national vote.
ACL Elite (West) - fixtures
Monday, Sept 30
Al Sadd v Esteghlal (8pm)
Persepolis v Pakhtakor (8pm)
Al Wasl v Al Ahli (8pm)
Al Nassr v Al Rayyan (10pm)
Tuesday, Oct 1
Al Hilal v Al Shorta (10pm)
Al Gharafa v Al Ain (10pm)
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
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A cheaper choice
Vanuatu: $130,000
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
THE BIO
Ms Davison came to Dubai from Kerala after her marriage in 1996 when she was 21-years-old
Since 2001, Ms Davison has worked at many affordable schools such as Our Own English High School in Sharjah, and The Apple International School and Amled School in Dubai
Favourite Book: The Alchemist
Favourite quote: Failing to prepare is preparing to fail
Favourite place to Travel to: Vienna
Favourite cuisine: Italian food
Favourite Movie : Scent of a Woman
HIJRA
Starring: Lamar Faden, Khairiah Nathmy, Nawaf Al-Dhufairy
Director: Shahad Ameen
Rating: 3/5
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Notable groups (UAE time)
Jordan Spieth, Si Woo Kim, Henrik Stenson (12.47pm)
Justin Thomas, Justin Rose, Louis Oosthuizen (12.58pm)
Hideki Matsuyama, Brooks Koepka, Tommy Fleetwood (1.09pm)
Sergio Garcia, Jason Day, Zach Johnson (4.04pm)
Rickie Fowler, Paul Casey, Adam Scott (4.26pm)
Dustin Johnson, Charl Schwartzel, Rory McIlroy (5.48pm)
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
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What can victims do?
Always use only regulated platforms
Stop all transactions and communication on suspicion
Save all evidence (screenshots, chat logs, transaction IDs)
Report to local authorities
Warn others to prevent further harm
Courtesy: Crystal Intelligence
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What the law says
Micro-retirement is not a recognised concept or employment status under Federal Decree Law No. 33 of 2021 on the Regulation of Labour Relations (as amended) (UAE Labour Law). As such, it reflects a voluntary work-life balance practice, rather than a recognised legal employment category, according to Dilini Loku, senior associate for law firm Gateley Middle East.
“Some companies may offer formal sabbatical policies or career break programmes; however, beyond such arrangements, there is no automatic right or statutory entitlement to extended breaks,” she explains.
“Any leave taken beyond statutory entitlements, such as annual leave, is typically regarded as unpaid leave in accordance with Article 33 of the UAE Labour Law. While employees may legally take unpaid leave, such requests are subject to the employer’s discretion and require approval.”
If an employee resigns to pursue micro-retirement, the employment contract is terminated, and the employer is under no legal obligation to rehire the employee in the future unless specific contractual agreements are in place (such as return-to-work arrangements), which are generally uncommon, Ms Loku adds.
Explainer: Tanween Design Programme
Non-profit arts studio Tashkeel launched this annual initiative with the intention of supporting budding designers in the UAE. This year, three talents were chosen from hundreds of applicants to be a part of the sixth creative development programme. These are architect Abdulla Al Mulla, interior designer Lana El Samman and graphic designer Yara Habib.
The trio have been guided by experts from the industry over the course of nine months, as they developed their own products that merge their unique styles with traditional elements of Emirati design. This includes laboratory sessions, experimental and collaborative practice, investigation of new business models and evaluation.
It is led by British contemporary design project specialist Helen Voce and mentor Kevin Badni, and offers participants access to experts from across the world, including the likes of UK designer Gareth Neal and multidisciplinary designer and entrepreneur, Sheikh Salem Al Qassimi.
The final pieces are being revealed in a worldwide limited-edition release on the first day of Downtown Designs at Dubai Design Week 2019. Tashkeel will be at stand E31 at the exhibition.
Lisa Ball-Lechgar, deputy director of Tashkeel, said: “The diversity and calibre of the applicants this year … is reflective of the dynamic change that the UAE art and design industry is witnessing, with young creators resolute in making their bold design ideas a reality.”
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
How to help
Send “thenational” to the following numbers or call the hotline on: 0502955999
2289 – Dh10
2252 – Dh 50
6025 – Dh20
6027 – Dh 100
6026 – Dh 200
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2020 Oscars winners: in numbers
- Parasite – 4
- 1917– 3
- Ford v Ferrari – 2
- Joker – 2
- Once Upon a Time ... in Hollywood – 2
- American Factory – 1
- Bombshell – 1
- Hair Love – 1
- Jojo Rabbit – 1
- Judy – 1
- Little Women – 1
- Learning to Skateboard in a Warzone (If You're a Girl) – 1
- Marriage Story – 1
- Rocketman – 1
- The Neighbors' Window – 1
- Toy Story 4 – 1
The specs
Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
Transmission: seven-speed
Power: 620bhp
Torque: 760Nm
Price: Dh898,000
On sale: now
The five pillars of Islam
Copa del Rey
Barcelona v Real Madrid
Semi-final, first leg
Wednesday (midnight UAE)
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%3Cul%3E%0A%3Cli%3EInform%20your%20doctor%20about%20your%20plans.%C2%A0%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3EAsk%20about%20your%20treatment%20so%20you%20know%20how%20it%20works.%C2%A0%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3EPay%20attention%20to%20your%20health%20if%20you%20travel%20to%20a%20hot%20destination.%C2%A0%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3EPlan%20your%20trip%20well.%C2%A0%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3C%2Ful%3E%0A
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
Banned items
Dubai Police has also issued a list of banned items at the ground on Sunday. These include:
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Political flags or banners
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Bikes, skateboards or scooters
