Fayez al Sarraj – European Affairs Magazine

Kobler meets Al-Serraj in Tripoli to discuss political process

27 Aprile 2017 BreakingNews @en di

The UN delegate to Libya, Martin Kobler, met with the Head of the Presidential Council, Fayez Al-Serraj in Tripoli on Tuesday to inform him about the results of his meeting at the UN Security Council in New York. The two men also talked about the implementation of LPA (Libyan Political Accord), especially on the cooperation between different parts of Libyan political spectrum. Kobler recalled the decision of the UN Security Council of a “non-intervention” in Libya, with a military way, however Al-Serraj, told to Kobler, that in front of violence escalation in South Libya, the dialogue is impossible.

Gentiloni met Al Sarraj hoping on a deal to block Libya’s migrant smugglers

21 Marzo 2017 BreakingNews @en di

Italian prime minister Paolo Gentiloni met his Libyan counterpart Fayez Al Sarraj in Rome on Monday hoping to win agreement on a deal to block Libya’s migrant smugglers, but how much leverage Mr Al Sarraj has back home is an open question. Italy has reaffirmed its willingness to stop the migrant flux, especially after the rescuing of 3,000 of them last week. Italy and Libya had concluded an agreement to repatriated Libyan’s illegal migrants in counterpart of an financial aid of E200 millions from the EU to implement refugees camps in Libya.

Libya’s power balance tilts towards Haftar, Trump officials view it with suspicion

24 Febbraio 2017 BreakingNews @en di

America, until now the key backer of the GNA, has fallen away. The new administration of President Donald Trump has yet to give definitive comments on Libya, but is expected to designate Muslim Brotherhood, one of the key factions in the GNA, as a terrorist organisation. As such, that would rub out any US support for the GNA and leave it floundering, and both Al Sarraj and Haftar know it. Whereas the erstwhile administration of former US president Barack Obama viewed Muslim Brotherhood as a positive non-violent expression of Islamism, Trump officials view it with suspicion, accusing it of links with violent groups. Trump’s chief strategist Steve Bannon has long made combatting Muslim Brotherhood his cause celebre. Yet, it is likely to suffer if the US designates it as a group supporting terrorism. Trump’s Secretary of State, Rex Tillerson, used his confirmation hearing last month to equate Brotherhood with Al Qaida: “The demise of IS [Daesh, or the self-proclaimed Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant] would also allow us to devote our attention to other agents of radicalism like Al Qaida, Muslim Brotherhood and certain elements within Iran”.

Tripoli: Unidentified gunmen have opened fire on a convoy carrying Fayez al-Sarraj

21 Febbraio 2017 BreakingNews @en di

Unidentified gunmen have opened fire on a convoy carrying the prime minister of Libya’s UN-backed government, Fayez al-Sarraj, in Tripoli without causing any casualties, according to his administration. Ashraf al-Thulthi, the administration spokesman, said on Monday the incident occurred as the motorcade passed near the Abu Slim district of the Libyan capital. “All the cars were armoured-plated, and there were no injuries”, it was unclear whether it was a targeted attack, Thulthi said. Sarraj’s Government of National Accord (GNA) said in a statement that Sarraj, Swehli and Nakua had opened a new criminal investigations unit in Tripoli on Monday morning, and published pictures of the three at the event.

Egypt-allied Haftar met Al-Sarraj in Cairo, as part of initiatives aimed at resolving Libya's crisis

17 Febbraio 2017 BreakingNews @en/Middle East - Africa di

A military leadership will never take hold of Libya” Belhaj told Middle East Eye. “Haftar has no chance at ruling this country at all and the coming days will attest to this”.Belhaj, who heads the al-Watan Party, is based in Tripoli where the UN-brokered Government of National Accord (GNA) has held power since December 2015. But the GNA’s authority faces huge challenges. Egypt-allied Haftar and the head of the Presidential Council of the GNA, Fayez Al-Sarraj, met in Cairo earlier this week as part of a series of Tunisian-Algerian-Egyptian initiatives aimed at resolving Libya’s crisis. Although Sarraj and Haftar refused to meet face-to-face, they agreed to honor a plan to create a joint committee to negotiate reconciliation and elections by February 2018, despite lingering tensions. The discussions revolved around forming a mini-government that would have a unified military council headed by Haftar in cooperation with military officers from all across Libya. The initiative reportedly gathered support from Algeria, Tunisia and Egypt, three countries that have over the past months been involved in mediation efforts focused on launching a Libya-Libya dialogue for national reconciliation. Despite the combined pressure from Algeria, Tunisia and Egypt to resume peace talks, the political process is unlikely to move forward in the foreseeable future because on the one hand Haftar is convinced he doesn’t need a deal and the other side is very fragmented.

Libya: yes to government

19 Gennaio 2016 BreakingNews @en di

Member of Presidency Council has named new national unity government, assembled by Prime Minister Fayez al Sarraj, four vicepresidents and 19 of 32 ministers. Conversely, the lacking designation of Ministry of Defence to Khalifa Haftar has caused abstention of two Tobruk representatives. Now HoR will have to ratify new government.

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The political representatives International welcomed the news, as the UN envoy Martin Kobler: “The formation of the government of national accord is one important leap on the path to peace and stability in Libya. But now parliament have to endorse the unity government”.

“We are facing a real opportunity to stabilise the country, which must be seized by everyone. Now it is essential for the Chamber of Representatives in Tobruk to hastily approve the list of cabinet members,” Paolo Gentiloni, Italy’s foreign minister, said,

In addition to Prime Minister Fayez al Sarraj and the four vicepresidents representing the whole Libya, here is the list of new ministers:

Marwan Ali, Foreign Affairs;
al Taher Mohamed Sarkaz, Finances;
Khalifa Rajab Abdul Sadeq, Oil;
Mohamed Faraj al Mahjoub, Internation Cooperation;
Bedad Qonso Masoud, Internal Governance;
Mohamed Soliman Bourguiba, Health;
Khair Melad Abu Baker, Education;
Mahmud Gomaa, University;
Abdul Motalib Boufarwa, Economy;
Khaled Muftah Abdul Qader, Economic Development;
Atef al Bahary, Telecommunications;
Hisham Abdullah, Transport;
Faraj al Taher Snoussi, Industry;
Osama Saad Hamad, Electricity;
Adel Mohamed Sultan, Agricolture;
Faddy Mansour al Shafey, Labor;
Mokhtar Abdullah Gouili, Vocational Training;
Ahmed Khalifa Bridan, Community Affairs;
Osama Mohammed Abdul Hady, Water Resources.
Giacomo Pratali

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