Panafrican News Agency

Libyan Prime Minister to visit Senegal

Tripoli, Libya (PANA) - The Libyan Prime Minister of the Government of National Unity (GNU), Abdelhamid al-Dbaiba, will pay an official visit to Senegal at the invitation of Senegalese President Macky Sall, who is also the current chairman of the African Union (AU).

The Libyan government spokesperson, Mohamed Hammouda, who made the announcement in a brief statement on Sunday did not give the date of the visit.

The statement quoted by the Libyan private television station Al-Ahrar said that the Prime Minister would be accompanied by a ministerial delegation.

Last Thursday, the Senegalese President received the new representative of the UN Secretary General and head of the UN Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL), Abdoulaye Bathily, who is also from Senegal.

A statement from the Senegalese presidency said that Mr. Bathily "came to seek advice ... for the success of his mission, given the complexity of the Libyan crisis".

Mr. Bathily is the first African to occupy this position since the creation in 2011 of UNSMIL in the wake of the revolution of 17 February 2011 that overthrew the regime of Colonel Muammar Gaddafi.

In addition, the AU has shown an increasing willingness to be more involved in Libya and play a leading role.

The Libyan crisis is marked by the existence of two rival governments -- the GNU and the Government of National Stability (GNS) appointed by Parliament and Fathi Bachagha -- accentuating the tension in the country with direct armed confrontations between armed groups.

This situation stems from the total impasse in which the country finds itself after the postponement of the 24 December 2021 elections and the failure of a UN mediation between Parliament and the High Council of State to relaunch the electoral process, and which is still hampered by the issue of the eligibility of dual nationals and the military to contest the polls.

-0- PANA BY/JSG/BBA/MA 11Sept2022