By Sami Zaptia.
London, 9 February 2021:
The First and Second Deputy heads of the House of Representatives (HoR), Fawzi Al-Nuwairi and Ahmid Houma respectively, today called on the prime minister-designate, Abd Alhamid Aldabaiba, to start consultations aimed at forming his Government of National Unity (GNU) within the stipulated 21 days.
Aldabaiba, who was selected last Friday by the 74-member Libyan Political Dialogue Forum (LPDF) has 21 days to present his government to the internationally recognized HoR in Tobruk.
In their joint statement the HoR Deputy heads urged Aldabaiba to present his GNU to the HoR so that it may invite members to a special session to grant it confidence and include it within the constitutional and legal framework to lead this stage.
The two Deputy heads stressed the importance of the work of HoR members during the upcoming preparatory period to serve the Libyan people. This work will strive to unify public institutions in the country, and launch a phase of comprehensive and positive national reconciliation, leading to the general elections scheduled for 24 December.
The call by the two Deputy heads comes on the back of HoR head, Ageela Saleh, yesterday calling for a consultative HoR session to be held in Tobruk on Monday 15 February to discuss granting the GNU confidence within the stipulated 21 days.
Analysis
The separate call by the two Deputy heads could be interpreted in different ways. Salah has already called for a meeting to discuss the only topic of the day: approving the new GNU. The call could be seen as support and consolidation of that call to send a message that the whole of the HoR leadership in the east is united and of one mind on this matter. This has not always been the case.
It could also be messaging to Saleh that his two Deputies intend to support the GNU and that he should not get up to his usual obstructionist moves – as he has done since 2014.
It is also messaging to the overwhelming members of the HoR who choose not to attend sessions in the east under Saleh’s leadership that the two Deputies are on board on this issue and wish to encourage the 120-odd members maybe to attend a unified session led by Saleh on endorsing the GNU.
It will be a challenge to get western and Greater Tripoli members to forget that Saleh’s instrumental support to Khalifa Hafter facilitated the war on Tripoli. But a meeting in the relatively neutral venue of Sirte, on the lines of the 5+5 JMC meetings, could happen.
Saleh calls for first HoR meeting since formation of GNU | (libyaherald.com)
