Prime Minister of Libya’s Government of National Unity (GNU), Abdel-Hamid Dbaiba held a meeting with a number of mayors to discuss the recent developments in the country.
About 40 mayors expressed their rejection of a new transitional phase, or parallel government in the country. They affirmed the need to hold general elections, which are “the main goal of the Libyan people.”
The meeting discussed the efforts of the GNU regarding the tense political situation. They also touched on the appointment of a new Board of Directors for the National Oil Corporation (NOC), headed by Mustafa Bengadra.
According to the GNU statement, the appointment of Bengadra was to “correct the legal conditions of the NOC, and to reopen oil and gas fields. Bengadra’s appointment was not a political deal, or coordinated with a country as political parties are trying to claim, in order to confuse the current political scene.”
Libya has two rival administrations in East and West. On 10 February, the Speaker of the Libyan Parliament, Ageela Saleh announced the unanimous appointment of Fathi Bashagha as the new Prime Minister.
Dbaiba has since refused to cede power, and 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.
On Sunday, US Ambassador to Libya, Richard Norland said that the current differences between Dbaiba and Bashagha can only be resolved through elections.
“I was encouraged in calls this evening with GNU PM Dbaiba and Fathi Bashagha to hear both leaders commit themselves to avoid violence, and finding ways to deescalate the situation in the wake of the recent tragic deaths,” the Ambassador said in a series of tweets on the US Embassy’s official Twitter account.