Postponement of Libyan elections left the internationally backed peace process in chaos
December 23, 2021, 6:44 am

Postponement of Libyan elections left the internationally backed peace process in chaos

Flag of Libya/Shutterstock-

The Arab News reported, the Libyan presidential election scheduled for Dec. 24 was postponed on Wednesday for at least a month, leaving the internationally backed peace process in chaos and the fate of the interim government in doubt.

Electoral commission chief Emad Sayeh said the process had run into trouble because the election rules were inadequate to handle appeals and disputes over eligibility.

The Arab News said that the three most prominent candidates, eastern warlord Khalifa Haftar, Seif Al-Islam Qaddafi and interim Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibeh, are also the three most divisive.

It mentioned that Haftar is unacceptable to many in western Libya after his 2019-20 assault on Tripoli that smashed parts of the capital.

It added that Qaddafi was convicted of war crimes by a Tripoli court and is detested by many of those who fought in the 2011 revolt against his father Muammar.

Dbeibeh promised when he was installed as premier that he would not run in an election, and his continued work as prime minister led many of his rivals to say he had an unfair advantage.

Libya’s parliament postpons presidential election without naming a new date

25 out of 98 candidates disqualified for Libya's presidential election

UN announces it resettled 71 refugees from Libya to Canada

At stake is a peace process that had been seen as the best hope in years of bringing an end to the decade of chaos and violence that has engulfed Libya since a NATO-backed uprising ousted Qaddafi.

According to the Arab News, the collapse of the electoral process risks aggravating local disputes and triggering a new round of fighting.

Disputes over the path forward could also undo the wider UN-backed peace process between Libya’s main eastern and western camps that have maintained a cease-fire since last year.

It is worth to be noted that large numbers of Libyans had already registered for voting cards. The US ambassador said on Wednesday that work toward elections should remain a priority.

Source: arabnews

Daily Covid-19 cases in the UK exceed 100,000 for first time World Bank supports education program to benefit over 12 mln children in Tanzania

BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has sponsored the BuildHer CityHack 2025 Hackathon, a two-day event spearheaded by the College of Engineering and Technology at the Royal University for Women (RUW).
Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
BENEFIT’s Chief Executive Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi, commented: “Our support for this educational hackathon reflects our long-term strategic vision to nurture the talents of emerging national youth and empower the next generation of accomplished female leaders in technology. By fostering creativity and innovation, we aim to contribute meaningfully to Bahrain’s comprehensive development goals and align with the aspirations outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030—an ambition in which BENEFIT plays a central role.”
Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”