UN hails Libya election deal as Security Council urges Libyans to seize the moment

The UN Security Council has welcomed a breakthrough agreement between Libya's rival political blocs, calling it "an important step" towards the country's first national elections in over a decade – while pressing all sides to move quickly from paper to practice.Key pointsLibya's rival political camps have agreed on new rules for running the elections commission and holding a vote within two yearsThe UN Security Council welcomed the deal and is urging all sides to follow through quicklyThe UN's top official in Libya says trust – among politicians and ordinary Libyans alike – is still fragileOnline hate speech and harassment are pushing Libyan women out of political life, she warns, and stronger legal protections are neededIn a statement issued Tuesday, council members praised the 30 August agreement reached by Libyan parties in what has become known as the "Smaller Convening", a negotiating track brokered by the UN Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL). The deal reconstitutes the board of Libya's High National Elections Commission and amends the legal framework for parliamentary and presidential elections, to be held within two years under a single, unified government.Council pledges ‘f...