Libyan delegates were due to meet on Monday for UN-backed talks in Geneva to choose a new temporary executive to lead the war-scarred country through a transition until scheduled December elections.
The 75 participants at the Libyan Political Dialogue Forum have until Friday to select a prime minister and a three-member presidency council from a list of 45 candidates, Libya's UN mission UNSMIL said.
Oil-rich Libya has been torn by civil war since a Nato-backed uprising led to the removal and killing of long-time dictator Muammar Qaddafi in 2011.
The country is now split between the Tripoli-based Government of National Accord (GNA) and its rival, the eastern-based House of Representatives, and its Libyan National Army of Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar.
A fragile ceasefire agreed to in Geneva last October has largely held despite appearing to be on the brink of collapse several times.
The list of candidates unveiled on Saturday by the UN includes 21 names for the position of prime minister and 24 for the presidency council.
"This new interim, unified executive authority will be primarily tasked to lead Libya to national elections set for 24 December 2021, and to reunify state institutions," the UNSMIL said.
The list of candidates was approved in political talks held in November between the 75 delegates selected by the UN to represent a cross section of Libyan society.
Among the names for the premiership are Fathi Bashagha, the powerful GNA interior minister, and the current deputy prime minister of the Tripoli-based presidential council, Ahmad Meitig.
Nominations for the presidency council include GNA Defence Minister Salahuddin Al Namroush and the head of the Tripoli-based High Council of State, Khalid Al Mishri.
Council candidates from the east include key power broker Aguila Saleh, the current Speaker of the Tobruk-based parliament, and Mohammed Al Bargathi, Libya's ambassador to Jordan.
The political talks started in mid-November in Tunisia, where the 75 delegates were assigned the task of laying out a road map towards elections.
UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres on January 19 hailed the "tangible progress" made in recent months to restore stability in Libya.
His comments came in a report to the Security Council in which he demanded that all foreign troops and mercenaries involved in the Libya conflict leave the country by January 23.
But foreign forces – 20,000 troops and mercenaries by UN estimates – have ignored the deadline to pull out of Libya.
Our legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants
Islamophobia definition
A widely accepted definition was made by the All Party Parliamentary Group on British Muslims in 2019: “Islamophobia is rooted in racism and is a type of racism that targets expressions of Muslimness or perceived Muslimness.” It further defines it as “inciting hatred or violence against Muslims”.
Second Test, Day 2:
South Africa 335 & 75/1 (22.0 ov)
England 205
South Africa lead by 205 runs with 9 wickets remaining
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
MATCH INFO
Fixture: Thailand v UAE, Tuesday, 4pm (UAE)
TV: Abu Dhabi Sports
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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At a glance
Global events: Much of the UK’s economic woes were blamed on “increased global uncertainty”, which can be interpreted as the economic impact of the Ukraine war and the uncertainty over Donald Trump’s tariffs.
Growth forecasts: Cut for 2025 from 2 per cent to 1 per cent. The OBR watchdog also estimated inflation will average 3.2 per cent this year
Welfare: Universal credit health element cut by 50 per cent and frozen for new claimants, building on cuts to the disability and incapacity bill set out earlier this month
Spending cuts: Overall day-to day-spending across government cut by £6.1bn in 2029-30
Tax evasion: Steps to crack down on tax evasion to raise “£6.5bn per year” for the public purse
Defence: New high-tech weaponry, upgrading HM Naval Base in Portsmouth
Housing: Housebuilding to reach its highest in 40 years, with planning reforms helping generate an extra £3.4bn for public finances
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
