Turkey welcomes recent political developments in Libya

ANKARA- Anadolu Agency

Turkey on Feb. 5 welcomed the recent political developments in Libya as the North African country elected its interim president and prime minister to govern the country until Libyan elections in December.

“We welcome the designation of the President and members of the Presidency Council and the Prime Minister who will serve until the general elections that are scheduled to be held on 24 December 2021 in Libya, as a result of the elections held in the Libyan Political Dialogue Forum (LPDF),” the Turkish Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

“We hope that the new Government of National Unity will be formed and take office as soon as possible on the basis of the Road Map adopted by the LPDF,” the ministry noted.

Reiterating Turkey’s support for democracy, security, and stability in Libya, the ministry called on the international community not to tolerate developments and actors who might spoil the political solution in the country.

Turkey’s president also congratulated the leaders of Libya’s interim government in a phone call on Feb. 6. 

Recep Tayyip Erdoğan wished success to Mohammad Younes Menfi and Abdul Hamid Mohammed Dbebibeh, who have been elected as head of the Presidential Council and prime minister, respectively, according to a statement by the Turkish Presidency.

“Turkey will continue its efforts for political unity, territorial integrity, stability, peace, security and prosperity in Libya and further enhance its cooperation with Libya in the new period,” Erdoğan said.

Earlier on Friday, Mohammad Younes Menfi on Friday was elected the president of Libya’s interim government, and Abdul Hamid Mohammed Dbeibah the prime minister in the Presidency Council during voting in an unnamed location in Switzerland not far from Geneva.

Libya has been torn by civil war since the ouster of Gaddafi in 2011.

Based in the capital Tripoli and currently led by Prime Minister Fayez al-Sarraj, the Government of National Accord was founded in 2015 under a U.N.-led agreement. But efforts for a long-term political settlement have failed due to a military offensive by militias loyal to Libyan warlord Khalifa Haftar.

Al-Sarraj’s internationally recognized government has been battling Haftar’s militias since April 2019 in a conflict that has claimed thousands of lives.