The head of the Libyan Government of National Accord, Fayez al-Sarraj, took a mysterious step that raised many questions regarding the fate of the controversial government members, especially in light of the formation of the new Presidency Council, which was led by Muhammad al-Manfi.
Libyan sources has revealed that Al-Sarraj had issued a decision to assign his deputy, Ahmed Maitiq, with the duties and powers of the Presidency Council, before leaving the country to an unknown destination for an indefinite period, without giving more details about Al-Sarraj’s move.
An era from the recent past
According to Nizar Zwaiti, political analyst, Al-Sarraj’s early exit from his post and his departure from the country, indicates that the GNA and all its members have become part of the country’s past, especially since al-Manfi, the new President of the Council is supported by the army and a number of countries that has influence in the Libyan file. Zwaiti points out that Al-Sarraj departure in this way could mean that something is threatening him, such as legal or constitutional prosecution.
Al-Zawiti also considers that the agreement recently concluded in Geneva effectively brought down the GNA and its political approach. He indicates that Libya is facing a new stage that may be more stable and less influential for the Muslim Brotherhood, represented by militias or political currents.
Radwan Al-Fitouri, another political analyst describes Al-Sarraj’s decision as obscure and a precedent, indicating that the latter had traveled dozens of times without assigning anyone to take up his post, and that his decision may be due to several possibilities, including his desire to leave Libya without return, political pressures, or health conditions.
“Al-Sarraj was transferred to a secret location taking with him thousands of files, most of them containing embezzlement and illegal appointments, in anticipation of any possibilities,” this is what Al-Fitouri stated.
He also considered that Al-Sarraj wants to close the door behind him and leave quietly, before announcing the formation of the new government, which may hold him accountable for the corruption files for which he was responsible.
In the same context, Jamal Shalouf, president of the Silvium Foundation for Research and Studies, believes that Al-Sarraj, by taking this step, has ended his presence in the current presidential council, and that he is completely outside it. He pointed out that the new political situation after the election of a president for the Council played a major role in Al-Sarraj’s move, according to Al-Arabiya.net.
On Friday, the United Nations Support Mission in Libya announced the results of the voting done by the members of Libyan Political Dialogue Forum, in Geneva on the lists of candidates for the positions of the Presidential Council and the transitional unity government.
The results showed that Muhammad Yunus Al-Manfi won the presidency of the Presidency Council, while Abd al-Hamid Dabaiba would lead the government, while Musa al-Koni and Abdullah al-Lafi, are members of the Presidency Council.
A new stage under the title of Unity
The title of Al-Sarraj’s most prominent move, according to what political analyst Abdul Hakim Maatouk says, is to flee from conflicts.
“Al-Sarraj left Libya to live in peace between London and Istanbul after he burned the crops, brought mercenaries and takfiris, and plundered the money of the Libyans”, he said.
According to the assignment book, Al-Sarraj assigned his deputy, Maitiq, with the tasks and powers of the Presidency Council of the Government of National Accord, starting from Sunday until Al-Sarraj’s return, without mentioning the period.
The current stage in Libya, as explained by the Speaker of the Libyan Parliament, Aqila Saleh, came as a result of the political initiative that he put forward in Cairo to solve the Libyan crisis,
“We succeeded in ending the bloodshed and guaranteed the rights of the provinces,” he said in a sign from him that the country is going through a new turning point called peace.
Aqila Saleh believes that the current period requires achieving justice in the distribution of the sovereign positions and the wealth of the country between the provinces, expressing his support for those steps that Al-Manfi intends to take.
As for the priorities of the next phase, Al-Manfi, the new president of the Presidency Council, reveals during his meeting with members of the House of Representatives In Tobruk, Saturday that the new authority in Libya will work to unify the military institution within the outputs of the discussions of the Military Commission (5 + 5) and the endeavors of the UN mission.
It is noteworthy that Al-Manfi has indicated in previous tweets that national reconciliation, reunification and gathering the word of Libyans will be among the goals of the new authority.
“The council will work to unify all the institutions of the Libyan state, which will positively affect the standard of living of the Libyan citizen and the conditions in the country,” he added.
It is expected that the new council will assume several tasks, the first of which is the holding of presidential and parliamentary elections at the end of this year, in addition to an attempt to open the Benghazi-Tripoli coastal road, which was closed by the conflicting parties.
