By Sami Zaptia.
London, 15 February 2021:
The two newly selected heads-designate of Libya’s executive, head of the Presidency Council Mohamed Menfi and Abd Alhamid Aldabaiba have continued their familiarization meetings since being selected by the Libyan Political Dialogue Forum (LPDF) in Geneva on 5 February.
The designated prime minister of the Government of National Unity (GNU), Abd Alhamid Aldabaiba, met with the Tripoli Central Bank of Libya (CBL) Governor yesterday, Saddik El-Kabir.
The CBL reported that during the meeting held at the CBL, ‘‘efforts were discussed to ensure the financial and monetary stability of the state, and to unify state institutions in order to achieve national goals’’.
GNU must be presented to parliament within 21 days (26 February)
Media reports say Aldabaiba is confident he will present his government to parliament within the stipulated (26 February). The reports say he intends to make contact with all of Libya’s 13 electoral constituencies to consider proposals for membership in his GNU. His media office has reportedly dismissed the names circulating on social media as potential members of the GNU.
He is also reportedly keen to ensure that his government is representative of a cross section of Libyans.
It will be recalled that if Aldabaiba fails to present his GNU to parliament by 26 February, it will be referred back to the LPDF. Similarly, if the HoR fail to endorse the GNU, it will also be referred back to the LPDF for approval.
Menfi meets Saleh
After setting foot on Libyan territory from Athens on 11 February in Benghazi and meeting Khalifa Hafter, Mohamed Menfi went on the next day to his hometown of Tobruk. Yesterday he arrived at his third city in eastern Libya Beida and then met HoR head Ageela Saleh in the latter’s hometown of Gubba.
HoR Sabrata meeting paving way for quorate meeting to endorse new government
In parallel, the so-called Ghadames bloc of 120-plus House of Representatives (HoR) members are meeting unofficially in the western coastal city of Sabrata to find political agreement between the two split Houses.
It will be recalled that about 20-plus members loyal to Ageela Saleh, the internationally recognized head of the de jure HoR, have so far refused to convene anywhere else but Tobruk or Benghazi.
Meanwhile, the breakaway Tripoli HoR are refusing to convene under the leadership of Saleh in view of the fact that he provided legal cover for Khalifa Hafter’s war on Tripoli. They would like to replace him as head – and he knows that.
He is therefore more comfortable convening in Benghazi or Tobruk where he feels he is in more control – while the majority of HoR members do not feel secure meeting in eastern Libya.
Sirte is being suggested as a neutral venue with joint security forces acting as a protection force. The idea is to emulate the successful conciliatory model used by the 5+5 Joint Military Commission (JMC) who meet there.
Either way, the Sabrata meeting is trying to find a way where both HoRs can convene in quorate to enable the endorsement of the newly selected government.
