The UN will convene a “National Forum” instead of holding the long-anticipated National Conference, a change that means the gathering’s outcome will be non-binding, Libyan international law professor al-Mohamed Zubaidi told Sunday Sputnik news.
From the slight name change, Zubaidi expects the major meeting would be a failure.
He said all participants should be committed to the decisions and recommendations concluded during a conference, while the forum is a mere meeting between a group of people.
“Only 150 persons will attend the forum, and the concerned parties did not declare the basis on which participants have been selected,” he added.
On March 20, Envoy of UN Mission Support in Libya (UNSMIL) Ghassan Salame announced before the Security Council that the National Forum is set to be held 14-16 April in Libya in a critical opportunity to end the prolonged transitional period since 2011.
Ahead of the National Conference, we are working with many parties to ensure as broad a buy-in as possible to the political process. What is clear is that the Libyan people fervently desire that their institutions be united as soon as possible,” Salame said
During the forum, the UNSMIL will focus on finalising the draft constitution, which paves the way for the election, forming a national unified government to supervise the referendum and elections, and reshuffling the Presidency Council to be led by a president and two deputies.
