Libya rivals sign UN-backed election agreement

Representatives of Libya's rival political groups signed a UN-backed agreement on Sunday that was presented as a step toward long-delayed national elections in the divided country.

The agreement was signed in Tripoli at the headquarters of the UN Support Mission in Libya, with UNSMIL chief Hanna Tetteh in attendance. It followed talks held in recent months in Rome and Tunis.

Tetteh welcomed the agreement, which covers the restructuring of the High National Electoral Commission, and called for it to be turned into concrete action.

Moussa al-Koni, vice president of the Libyan presidential council, called the agreement an opportunity to move Libya from managing division to ending it. Abdul Rahman Al-Abbar, a representative from the east, said the sides had agreed to major mutual compromises.

Libya has had two rival governments: the UN-recognised administration in Tripoli and an eastern rival backed by military commander Khalifa Haftar. Television channel al-Masar reported that Haftar welcomed progress on issues that had hindered presidential and legislative elections.

Presidential elections meant to unify the country were scheduled for late 2021 but were postponed indefinitely amid disputes. In recent years, the sides have disagreed over whether military personnel and dual nationals should be eligible to run, and whether presidential and legislative ballots should be held at the same time or separately.

In August 2025, the UN proposed a roadmap for general elections and the unification of institutions in Libya. The UN-backed agreement is separate from another initiative led by Massad Boulos, US President Donald Trump's senior adviser on Arab and African affairs, aimed at rapprochement between Libya's eastern and western authorities.