ADDIS ABABA - The African Union (AU) has lauded the election in Libya on July 7 successful.

AU said in a statement that Jean Ping, Chairperson of the AU Commission, welcomed the successful conduct of the election in Libya, to elect the General National Congress as part of the transition process towards democratic and accountable institutions.

The Chairperson stressed that the peaceful conduct of the elections and the high voter turnout bear testimony to the commitment of the Libyan people and political stakeholders to pluralism and democracy.

Ping encouraged them to stay in the course in order to successfully complete the ongoing transition and address all related challenges.

He assured them of AU's continued support, mindful that democratic and stable Libya would be a tremendous asset to the entire African continent.

The statement recalled that as part of AU's support to the transition in Libya, and in response to the invitation by the Libyan High National Electoral Commission, AU had dispatched observer mission led by Esam Sharaf, former Prime Minister of Egypt, to Libya.