The new “troika” of the executive authority in Libya held its first virtual meeting on Tuesday to discuss the formation of a new government.
Head of the new Presidential Council Mohammed al-Menfi chaired the meeting that was attended by his two deputies, Abdullah al-Lafi and Moussa al-Koni, and Prime Minister-designate Abdul Hamid Dbeibeh.
They discussed efforts to form a new government within the set deadline, ahead of presenting its ministerial agenda and submitting the lineup to a vote at parliament. They stressed the need to expand consultations to include members of the parliament and national dialogue forum.
Meanwhile, the Libyan constitutional committee resumed its talks at Egypt’s Hurghada resort town. Delegations from the parliament and High Council of State are taking part in the three-day UN-sponsored talks. Head of the High National Elections Commission Emad al-Sayeh is also taking part.
Discussions are focused on how to hold a constitutional referendum.
Head of the Egyptian committee concerned with the Libyan file stressed during the meeting the importance of investing in the positive conditions Libya is currently experiencing after the formation of the interim government.
New UN envoy to Libya and head of the UN Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) Jan Kubis underscored the importance of the Hurghada meeting, expressing his gratitude to the Egyptian government for supporting political solutions and hosting the constitutional talks.
Kubis officially assumed his post on Monday, taking over from Stephanie Williams.
International reactions continued to pour in over the formation of the interim government, with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov contacting Menfi and Dbeibeh to voice Moscow’s readiness to work with the new authorities to overcome the crisis.
Meanwhile, the UNSMIL announced Monday that Libyan parties have agreed on a new unified state budget. “The parties agreed to a two-month budget rather than a full year to allow for the newly formed unified executive to decide on the full budget for 2021,” it said in a statement.
This is the first time since 2014, Libya has one unified national budget, it noted, hoping that “with a newly unified executive recommitted to working for the country’s national interests and restoring its sovereignty, Libya would be able to move closer to an equitable management of its oil resources for the benefit of all Libyan people.”
Separately, the Libyan National Army (LNA), commanded by Khalifa Haftar, continued to warn of Turkey’s threat to the ceasefire in Libya.
LNA spokesman Ahmed al-Mismari said Turkey’s continued military presence undermines the recent political agreements in Libya and defies international calls for the withdrawal of foreign forces from the country.
He said the military has detected intense Turkish flights over Misrata city and the capital Tripoli, accusing Ankara of seeking to establish “political bases” in the country to “legalize its military presence.”
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan declared on Tuesday, however, that his country will consider pulling out its forces if other foreign forces withdrew first.
Back in Egypt, Arab League chief Ahmed Aboul Gheit received Tripoli-based Government of National Accord (GNA) Foreign Minister Mohamed Siala for talks on the latest developments in Libya.
