On Tuesday, the Head of the Libyan Presidential Council, Mohamed Al-Mnifi, called on the House of Representatives to swiftly appoint a Governor for the Central Bank of Libya in a lawful, public, and transparent session, in consultation with the High Council of State.
In his statement, al-Mnifi expressed understanding of the UN Mission’s concerns about the ambiguity in the description of their decisions and the overlap of jurisdictions.
He emphasised that the Presidential Council, as a whole, made a decision that reinforced the rule of law by selecting representatives of the people to appoint a Governor known for integrity and competence. This was accompanied by another decision to form a Board of Directors, marking the first such appointment in many years.
Al-Mnifi explained that the Presidential Council exercised its powers under the political agreement to appoint senior officials, ensuring broad political representation of all forces and parties while not compromising on the experience and competence of its members.
The statement also urged all parties to maintain the reputation of Libya’s institutions against allegations of unlawful takeover, stressing that the recent actions were a legal process overseen by a ministerial committee under the supervision of the Minister of Interior.
Furthermore, al-Mnifi reaffirmed the council’s commitment to holding fair elections before 17 February 2025.
The UN Mission had initiated an emergency meeting with the parties involved in the Central Bank crisis to reach a consensus. The U.S. Embassy in Libya supported this initiative, stating that it paves the way for resolving the Central Bank’s ongoing crisis.
He highlighted the rationale behind the decision, pointing to the significant tensions in the country over the past months due to unilateral decisions by some parties, leading to an unwillingness to compromise, which has burdened the people with unjust costs deducted from their savings and salaries to cover the inflated, unjustifiable support costs.