Addressing broader political matters at the first Cabinet meeting of 2026 held at the Cabinet Office in Tripoli last night, Prime Minister Abdel Hamid Aldabaiba called for the unification of state institutions and legitimate elections as he revealed his new-look cabinet.
Unifying Libyan state institutions and holding elections
He said Unifying Libyan state institutions is a comprehensive national goal, and the government will continue its efforts to advance it.
He stressed that (in his view) the legitimacy of his government is based on the Libyan Political Agreement (LPA) governing the transitional phase. This, despite the Benghazi-based Libyan parliament (the House of Representatives – HoR) having passed a vote of no confidence in the Aldabaiba government and appointed a new eastern-based (but international unrecognized) government instead.
Aldabaiba said his government is committed to fulfilling its responsibilities within this framework until the electoral process, which all Libyans are awaiting, is completed.
Call for elections
He repeated that his government was and remains ready to hand over power at any time to a government resulting from legitimate elections based on agreed-upon and implementable rules.
He called on all political opponents to extend their hands for dialogue and agree on holding elections and fulfilling the aspirations of the Libyan people.
The Libyan people aspire to end the country’s political division and build a stable, unified state, he added.
The economic crisis: cutting spending, abating demand for the dollar, defending the dinar, controlling prices
Aldabaiba saidthe economic file will remain at the forefront of the government’s priorities in the coming period.He added that the Cabinet is working in coordination with relevant authorities to address economic challenges and achieve greater financial and monetary stability.
He called for adherence to the (US-brokered) Unified Development Agreement so that all regions of Libya, east, west, and south, can implement development projects according to the state’s financial capabilities.
Aldabaiba reconfirmed that his government has requested the Central Bank of Libya (CBL) to halt all spending under Chapter Three (Development and Projects) of the budget.
Justifying this request to the CBL, Aldabaiba said his government’s priority has been and will remain preserving the livelihoods of Libyans, ensuring salaries, and securing their basic needs – before any other expenditure (such as development and project spending).
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