The two rival parliaments have reached an initial agreement which aims at resolving the political crisis in the country.

There are hopes that the political crisis in Libya would be resolved and a gradual return to normalcy achieved as the two rival parliaments in the country have reached an initial agreement at talks in the Tunisian capital, Tunis , intended to lead to a single government  and elections within  two years.

The initial agreement of Sunday, December 6, 2015 would have to be endorsed by both the internationally recognised parliament based in the eastern city of Tobruk and the Tripoli-based parliament known as the General National Congress (GNC). "This is a historic moment the Libyans were waiting for," BBC quoted Awad Mohammed Abdul-Sadiq, the first deputy head of the GNC as saying after the deal was signed. He is further quoted as saying that, "If this solution receives real Libyan support - from the people and institutions - we will surely arrive in no more than two weeks or a month to a solution to solve the political crisis."

Under the "declaration of principles" agreed in Tunis, the two sides would set up a committee to nominate a prime minister pending elections, while another panel would review the constitution. The GNC is supported by a loose alliance of armed groups, including Islamists, that seized the capital in August 2014.  This led to the existence of two government as the internationally recognised one fled to Tobruk, while the rebel controlled government remained in the capital, Tripoli. The Tunis initial agreement is separate from the UN efforts to mediate the Libyan crisis.