Rival Libyan politicians signed a deal Thursday to form a unity government despite opposition on both sides, in what the United Nations described as a “first step” towards ending the country’s crisis.
Rival Libyan politicians signed a deal Thursday to form a unity government despite opposition on both sides, in what the United Nations described as a “first step” towards ending the country’s crisis.
World powers have urged the warring factions to break a political deadlock that has allowed jihadists and people-smugglers to flourish since the fall of dictator Muammar Gaddafi in 2011.
A group of legislators from Libya’s rival Parliaments, as well as other political figures, inked the UN-sponsored accord in the Moroccan resort of Skhirat.
Around 80 of 188 legislators from the internationally-recognised Parliament and 50 of 136 members of the Tripoli-based General National Congress (GNC) signed the deal, participants said.
It calls for a 17-member government, headed by businessman Fayez el-Sarraj as Premier and including two women, based in Tripoli. There would also be a presidential council for a transitional period of two years up until legislative elections.
The French ambassador, Antoine Sivan, said in a statement the UN Security Council would adopt a resolution within days “recognising this government as the only legitimate government of Libya”.
But the accord has caused deep divisions within Libya’s two legislatures.
