‘Breakthrough’ in torturous Libyan peace process as interim leader appointed

Interim Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Mohammed Dbeibah speaks via video link during a meeting of the Libyan Political Dialogue Forum

Credit: Handout/AFP

Libya’s new interim Prime Minister, Abdul Hamid Mohammed Dbeibah, warned in his first speech on Saturday that “failure is not an option” for his UN-sponsored unity government, which is designed to replace the country’s warring administrations and guide them towards elections in December.

A team of 75 UN-picked delegates from across Libya voted for a three-member presidential council and a Prime Minister on Friday after five days of talks in Geneva, a step that Mr Dbeibah said was a “symbol of the victory of national unity, reunification, peace-building and achieving the desired democracy”.

However, analysts were cautious about the new government’s ability to exercise authority in the divided country.

Libya has been mired in chaos since a Nato-backed campaign ousted dictator Muammar Gaddafi in 2011. A disputed election in 2014 split the country between east and west: the internationally-recognised Government of National Accord (GNA) in Tripoli and the parallel Libyan National Accord (LNA) in Benghazi. Both sides are backed by international forces and have splinter militias, foreigners and mercenaries fighting on Libya’s increasingly messy battlefields.

The election of the four interim leaders from Libya’s west, east and south — the culmination of a UN-led dialogue process launched in November — marks a potential turning point. They now face the task of unifying the country. Mr Dbeibah promised to "listen to and work with all Libyans, whatever their ideology, affiliation or region".

According to UN envoy to Libya, Stephanie Williams, Mr Dbeibah has 21 days to form a cabinet and present it to parliament; once agreed, “all parallel authorities should be considered null and void”.

Mr Dbeibah also called on international stakeholders in the oil-rich north African country to work towards stability “without exception”. All the leaders in the unity government have agreed that they will not be allowed to take part in the parliamentary and presidential elections slated for December 24.

On Saturday the eastern administration, the LNA, welcomed the announcement of the interim government, but qualified that it would only cede power of the areas it controls if the eastern-based parliament approved.

After a decade of division and violence, the qualified statement of support illustrates the challenges that lie ahead in uniting Libya before the new elections.

While UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres described the unity government as "a breakthrough" and said that "Libya is heading in the right direction", many analysts were more cautious.

“It’s unclear how or to what extent this government will be able to exercise authority,” said Tim Eaton, Libya analyst at Chatham House, adding that "it’s unlikely it will have any meaningful command and control.”