Road connecting eastern, western Libya to open soon within unification plans: GNU spox.

CAIRO – 25 March 2021: Spokesperson of the Libyan Government of National Unity (GNU) Mohamed Hamouda stated Wednesday that the coastal road connecting eastern and western Libya will be opened soon.

In that context, Hamouda pointed out that the deportation of mercenaries – based in western Libya - is among the new interim government's priorities as well as the sovereignty of the state and the unity of its institutions, mainly the military establishment.

The spokesperson added that the GNU is also working on the procurement of anti-COVID-19 vaccine as well as achieving decentralization when it comes to public services.

Head of the Presidential Council Mohamed al-Manfy had earlier urged the government to accelerate finding solutions to crises like the shortage in electricity and fuel supplied to Libyans.

Manfy's words came during his participation in the first GNU meeting after his return from France where he had met President Emanuel Macron.

On March 16, power was handed over from the former presidential council to the new one, and from the 2014 Government of National Accord (GNA) to the GNU led by Prime Minister Abdullah AlDabaiba. The new interim government is supposed to pave the way for holding elections on December 24.

On March 15, the GNU members and prime minister took the oath of office before the Tobruk-based House of Representatives.

The new Chair of the Presidential Council is Mohamed Menfi, and the other two members are Mossa Al-Koni, and Abdullah Al-Lafi. Dabiba-Menfi list received the necessary votes in the ballot held by the UN-fostered Libyan National Dialogue Forum on February 6.

The dismantled interim non-elected GNA used to control western Libya and was using militias and mercenaries to hold territories. Simultaneously, central and eastern Libya were under the control of the Libyan National Army (LNA) and the authority of the elected House of Representatives and an interim government it had formed. 

Unlike the GNA, which was based in Tripoli in the west, the GNU is based in Sirte located in central Libya.