Stephanie Williams, Acting Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of the United Nations Support Mission attends the opening ceremony of the Libya's peace talks in Tunis, Tunisia, Nov 9, 2020. (HASSENE DRIDI / AP)

TUNIS - Libyan participants in political talks taking place in Tunis have set December 24, 2021 as the date for parliamentary and presidential elections, the acting UN envoy said on Friday.

“Reaching elections requires a new executive to unify the country. This requires the establishment of a reformed presidency council and an effective and unified government of national unity,” Stephanie Williams said on a call with journalists.

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The talks in Tunis this week follow a ceasefire agreed last month between the two major sides in the country’s war - the internationally recognised Government of National Accord (GNA) and Khalifa Haftar’s eastern-based Libyan National Army (LNA).

However, many Libyans remain sceptical that the peacemaking efforts will end nearly a decade of chaos and bloodshed following the 2011 NATO-backed uprising against Muammar Gaddafi.