Libya: Bashagha to Hold First Cabinet Meeting in Sebha on Thursday

Arab World

April 21st, 5:37am

Asharq Al-Awsat

Fathi Bashagha, designated as prime minister by the parliament, looks on during an interview over the phone with Reuters, in Tobruk, Libya March 2, 2022. Picture taken March 2, 2022. Media office of the new government/via REUTERS /File Photo

Libya's parliament-appointed prime minister, Fathi Bashagha, will hold a first meeting of his cabinet in the southern city of Sebha on Thursday, his spokesman said on Wednesday. The eastern-based parliament appointed Bashagha in March but the sitting prime minister, Abdulhamid al-Dbeibah, refused to cede power leading to a prolonged standoff between the two rival governments. Bashagha and his cabinet have not been able to enter the capital Tripoli, where Dbeibah has the support of some armed factions, and has repeatedly said he will not try to do so using force. Bashagha was interior minister in the Tripoli-based government during Libya's most recent bout of conflict before a 2020 ceasefire, according to Reuters. Dbeibah was appointed to head an interim unity government through a UN-backed process last year that included a military ceasefire and was aimed at holding an election in December. The parliament said his term of office expired when the election failed to take place and appointed Bashagha to replace him with elections postponed until next year. Dbeibah rejected that, saying his mandate remains in force, while some other Libyan political bodies said the parliament's moves were illegitimate.

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