Members of Libya's rival parliaments on Thursday signed a landmark, UN-sponsored deal on forming a unity government that will strive to bring peace to the war-ravaged country. The Maltese government has welcomed the deal.
Supporters of the agreement hope that rival political factions and militias will embrace the deal and agree on a cease-fire, so that they can fend off the Islamic State extremist group, which is expanding its gains in the North African country.
The document was signed in Morocco by Emhemed Shoaib, the deputy speaker of the internationally recognized Libyan parliament, and Salah al-Makhzoum, the second deputy of the Islamist-backed parliament based in the capital, Tripoli.
Libya slid into chaos following the 2011 toppling and killing of dictator Muammar Gaddafi. Over a year ago, it was further torn — in addition to having two parliaments — between the internationally recognized government, based in the country's east, and the Islamist-backed government in Tripoli.
"This is just the beginning of a long journey for Libya," said UN envoy Martin Kobler, who attended the Morocco ceremony. "Signing is only the first step on the road of putting Libya back on the right track."
Al-Makhzoum said while the deal is not perfect, it's a step to rescue Libya from collapsing and ensure its unity.
The agreement has detractors on both sides who seek a separate deal without UN involvement.
The speakers of the two parliaments — Tripoli-based Nuri A.M. Abusahmain and Aguila Saleh Issa from the east — were not at the Morocco ceremony. The two, who are seen by analysts as hard-liners, held talks on Tuesday in Malta to forge a separate deal without UN involvement.
Afterward, they issued a statement saying the representatives who travelled to Morocco were not mandated to represent the parliaments in the talks.
Before the start of Thursday's ceremony, Al-Makhzoum and Faraj Abu-Hashem, the spokesman for the east-based parliament, told The Associated Press that 88 lawmakers from the two parliaments were present at the signing.
The eastern parliament has 156 known members, while the rival parliament in Tripoli has 135.
The foreign ministers of Turkey, Italy, Spain, Qatar, Tunisia, and Morocco also spoke at the ceremony in support of the deal.
In a statement, the Department of Information said Malta welcomes the Political Agreement signed in Skirat, Morocco, between representatives from the Libyan House of Representatives and the General National Congress. The government said Malta hopes that the Libyan people will find the way to come together, return to normal life and end the unrest that has produced so much fighting and violence.
Malta strongly appealed that all Libyans rally around their leaders who, in turn, should shoulder their responsibilities, put aside their personal interests and differences and work towards a stable and peaceful Libya. It is now imperative that all efforts are directed towards achieving reconciliation and inclusiveness that are essential requisites in a future Libya.
Foreign Minister George Vella underlined the importance that the process remains an all-inclusive one that involves all representatives of Libyan society. He also urged the international community to stand by Libya and its Government at this particularly sensitive juncture and provide the assistance and expertise that may be required in a vast array of fields.
The ultimate goal, Dr Vella stated, is to ensure Libyan ownership of this long and challenging process, against a backdrop of consolidated and focused international support.