Morocco, international community welcome election of Libyan Interim Executive Authority

Morocco has joined its voice to the international community to welcome last Friday’s election by the UN-led Libyan Political Dialogue Forum of an interim executive authority in Libya, in which Mohammad Younes Menfi will head the country and Abdelhamid Dbaibah will head the government.

Morocco congratulates the new members of the Libyan Presidential Council and welcomes the choice of the first Minister in the person of Abdelhamid Debaibah, Moroccan Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita said at a press briefing held in Rabat Sunday to take stock of the outcome of the 34th African Union Summit.

The Kingdom considers that the creation of this new institution will reinforce the executive authority in fulfilling its missions and meeting the expectations of the Libyan people, the minister added.

Morocco believes that this is a major step forward towards unifying institutions, strengthening stability and meeting the needs of Libyans, in addition to creating the necessary conditions for the holding of the next elections scheduled for December 24, 2021, Bourita pointed out, expressing the wish that all Libyan institutions would support the interim executive authority in the accomplishment of its missions.

Bourita recalled the meetings held in the Kingdom over the past few months at the request of the Libyan brothers and the Kingdom’s positive interaction, which also contributed in a significant way to the creation of a climate of confidence that enabled Libyan stakeholders to address the challenges and make supreme interests of Libya and its citizens prevail.

Morocco will work with the interim executive authority and all the legitimate institutions in Libya to ensure the success of the next elections so as to strengthen the stability and development of this brotherly Maghreb country, Bourita added.

The United States, the UN, the European Union and the Arab League were also among the first to congratulate the new government.

According to analysts, the support shown by the Libyan National Army of warlord Khalifa haftar for the new government would suggest that it has not been frowned upon in Moscow either, as Russia is one of Haftar’s main backers.

The spokesman for the LNA, General Ahmed Al-Mesmari, said in an interview that the Libyan army is an institution of the country, and therefore its command is now under the control of the new Presidency Council. He also said that progress will be made towards the exchange of detainees and demining. However, he warned that mercenaries in the country, especially those linked to Turkey, must leave Libya.

Numerous key Libyan stakeholders have also voiced support to the new executive, including the incumbent Prime Minister designate and head of the Presidency Council, Faiez Serraj, and Ageela Saleh, the head of the only internationally recognized Libyan parliament, the House of Representatives (HoR), based in Tobruk/Benghazi.