Report: Libya Dilemma Between Dbeibeh, Bashagha

Abdel Hamid Dbeibeh announced that his government will continue to perform its duties, considering that talking about handing over its duties to another government is a “waste of time."

Dbeibeh added that what the parliament issued regarding the executive authority “has become a thing of the past,” referring to its decision to withdraw confidence from his government and form a new government led by Fathi Bashagha.

The Speaker of Parliament, Aguila Saleh, had called on a number of sovereign state institutions to stop dealing with the Dbeibeh government, or speaking on its behalf, because of “the expiration of its mandate,” according to the official spokesman for the Libyan House of Representatives, Abdullah Blehaq.

In the meantime, the UN Security Council held a closed meeting on Tuesday to discuss the Libyan file and the future role of the United Nations, two issues that still cause pision among its members, especially over the appointment of a new envoy for this country, according to diplomats.

The mission of the United Nations political mission in Libya ends on April 30.

Since the second half of 2021 and the resignation of the Slovakian Jan Kubis last November, the Security Council has witnessed differences on a number of issues in Libya.

A government formed by former Interior Minister Bashagha and approved by the House of Representatives is competing with the current government in Tripoli, led by Dbeibeh, who refuses to give up power.

In Cairo, it was announced that an international conference for building and construction in Libya will be held from May 16-20 in the Libyan city of Benghazi, with the participation of Egyptian companies wishing to rebuild Libya, and in the presence of representatives of the business community from both countries.

During an introductory forum in Cairo, the upcoming conference in Benghazi was announce upon directives of Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El Sisi who called for Egypt’s participation in the reconstruction of Libya in many fields.

Representatives from the official sector and the Egyptian and Libyan business community participated in the preparatory meeting, including Ibrahim Al-Jarary, President of the Egyptian-Libyan Economic Chamber and President of the Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture of Tobruk and Hassan Suleiman Al-Dibani, Vice-President of the Egyptian-Libyan Joint Economic Chamber and President of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Darna.

In Late March, Sisi received President of the Presidency Council of Libya Mohamed Al-Menfi at Al-Ittihadiya Palace and discussed boosting Cairo-Tripoli Relations and recent developments of Libyan file, according to Presidency Spokesperson Bassam Rady.

The meeting was held in the presence of Minister of Foreign Affairs Sameh Shoukry, Head of the General Intelligence Service Abbas Kamel, as well as Libya’s Permanent Representative to the League of Arab States Ambassador Abdulmutallab Idris.

During the meeting, Sisi affirmed Egypt’s full support for all that would achieve Libya’s supreme interests, support the free will of its people, and preserve its sovereignty and territorial integrity.

On his part, Al-Menfi praised the vital Egyptian role and the tireless, earnest efforts led by the president to restore security and stability in Libya and unify state institutions, especially the Libyan National Army (LNA), in integration with the efforts made by the 5+5 Libyan Joint Military Commission.

He also presented the overall current internal political situation in Libya; it was agreed to intensify consultation and coordination between the two sides during the coming period. Hence, they could follow up on developments in the political process and procedures for managing the transitional phase in a way that helps restore Libya’s stability and unify its institutions and ensures that the Libyan people gain complete control over the country’s capabilities.