Spox of Libyan National Army notes 3 tasks new interim gov. must fulfill

CAIRO - 7 February 2021: Spokesperson of the Libyan National Army (LNA) Ahmed al-Mesmary stated in a phone-in Saturday that the new interim government to be formed after the election of a new prime minister and a new presidential council Saturday must prioritize dismantling militias, forcing out mercenaries and ending Turkish military presence western the country.

Mesmary asserted that militias shall have no role in political agreements as they always aim for undermining peaceful solutions. He also warned that the “terrorist militias” affiliated to the incumbent Government of National Accord (GNA) led by Fayez al-Sarraj target to hamper agreements made earlier.

The LNA spokesperson stressed that the prime role of the new interim government must be providing services for citizens, while the mission of the new presidential council has to be fulfilling all agreements.

The GNA formed in accordance with the Skhirat Agreement in 2014 was supposed to hold elections by 2017 but failed and continued in power controlling western Libya. The most notable agreement it has recently made is a ceasefire that began in August 2020 with the LNA controlling eastern and central Libya.

In the same context, the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) underlined Saturday that Prime Minister Abdel Hamid Dabiba has to form a government within 21 days, and that the Tobruk-based elected House of Representatives has to endorse it also within 21 days.

The transfer of power from Fayez al-Saraj government to the new government takes place once the endorsement is made. In case, the house did not endorse Dabiba’s government, the decision will be in the hands of the Libyan National Dialogue Forum.

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 Saturday, and its task is paving the way for the elections scheduled for December 24, 2021.