On Saturday, the Speaker of Libya’s House of Representatives (HoR), Ageela Saleh, conducted a telephone call with the United States (US) Special Envoy and Ambassador to Libya, Richard Norland.
The men discussed the current political situation and prospects for restoring momentum toward elections.
During the talks, US Ambassador Norland said, “we are working with key actors on all sides to maintain stability, beginning with efforts to ensure that Libya’s vast oil wealth is not used for partisan political purposes, but rather goes to meet the most critical needs of the people.”
The US Ambassador also voiced his country’s support for the efforts being made by Libyan leaders including the HoR Speaker, to agree on a Libyan-led mechanism for facilitating and monitoring such expenditures.
“As the impasse in the executive unfolds, we wish to make clear that for the US the most relevant issue at this time is the need for sufficient political consensus, acceptability, and credibility among a critical mass of the Libyan people across the entire country in order to lead the nation to elections,” the US ambassador added.
The US diplomat stressed that it is more important than ever to organise elections which can move Libya beyond an endless cycle of transitional governments.
He also urged the Libyan Speaker to continue lending all necessary support to establish a constitutional and legal basis for organising elections as soon as possible in conjunction with the United Nations (UN)-facilitated process.
Notably, Libya is currently facing a political crisis after Parliament swore in a new Prime Minister, former Interior Minister, Fathi Bashagha, to lead a new interim government in February. Members of Parliament (MPs) argued that the Prime Minister of the Government of National Unity (GNU), Abdelhamid Al-Dbaiba’s, mandate expired when the elections failed to take place.
He is set to replace the current Prime Minister of the Government of National Unity (GNU) who has refused to cede power, amid the fallout from a failed attempt to hold national elections in December.
Al-Dbaiba warned that the appointment of a new interim government could lead to war and chaos in the country. He renewed his pledge to only hand power over to an elected government.