Head of the Government of National Accord (GNA), Fayez al-Sarraj, departed Libya on Sunday, tasking his deputy Ahmed Maiteeq with his duties.
Sarraj did not disclose the purpose or destination of his trip. Sources close to him said he was traveling to London with his wife on a private visit.
Sarraj has yet to set a date for the hand over of power to his successor. It also remains unclear whether he will take part in the handover ceremony.
Meanwhile, newly-appointed head of the Presidential Council Mohammed al-Menfi met with speaker of the east-based parliament, Aguila Saleh, in the city of al-Bayda.
Menfi had in recent days met with members of the parliament, local officials and activists.
Bayda is the third city that he has visited since his appointment on February 5.
A brief statement from Saleh’s office said talks focused on “latest developments and several important issues.”
Menfi had discussed with lawmakers in Tobruk preparations to hold a parliamentary session soon, as well as arrangements to grant the new government a vote of confidence as soon as its lineup is announced.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister-designate Abdul Hamid Dbeibeh held talks on Sunday with central bank governor Sadiq al-Kabir.
The PM announced that he has kicked off efforts to assess the candidates for his government.
“Our choices will be based on competency. We will not let down the hopes that are pinned on us. The Libyan people always deserve the best,” he stressed.
Dbeibeh has a deadline of 21 days to form a new government that started when he was appointed on February 5.
Later on Monday, lawmakers are set to meet in Sabratha city for consultative talks. Speaker Saleh will be notably absent from the meeting amid a drive by some MPs to remove him from his post.
Some 120 MPs are expected at the meeting or the more than the needed quorum for the session to go ahead.
The parliament, which is based in the eastern city of Tobruk, has not commented on the meeting.
Sources close to Saleh, however, said that an implicit agreement had been reached a while ago with the United Nations mission in the country that refuses to recognize decisions of any parliament meeting that is not held at its official headquarters or without its speaker.
This agreement has not deterred MPs from the eastern region, which is aligned with Saleh, from joining their colleagues in Sabratha and others in the West who are seeking to remove the speaker and appoint a new one.
