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| Africa North | |
| Libyan Council Names Electrical Engineering Professor As Interim PM | |
| 2011-11-01 | |
| Libya's interim authorities have named Tripoli academic Abdurrahim al-Keib as the new prime minister. The National Transitional Council (NTC) made the announcement days after declaring the country "liberated" following the death of Colonel Gaddafi. It also coincides with the official end of the Nato air campaign that helped overthrow the long-time leader. The NTC wants a national congress to be elected within eight months, and multi-party elections in Libya in 2013. Mr Keib, an academic specialising in electrical engineering and based in Tripoli, beat eight other candidates to receive 26 of the 51 votes from members of the NTC. He is seen as a consensus candidate who could smooth over rivalries within the NTC. Mr Keib is expected to appoint a cabinet in the coming days. The new interim government will run Libya until elections are held. Although not a familiar public figure, Abdurrahim al-Keib is said to be well-liked within the National Transitional Council and is seen as a consensus candidate.
It also helps that Abdurrahim al-Keib is from Tripoli. People in the capital have been irritated that the business of government has so far been run out of Benghazi in the east. He replaces Mahmoud Jibril, who said he would stand down once Libya was declared officially "liberated" - which happened on 23 October, after the death of Col Gaddafi and the fall of his hometown of Sirte. Spokesman Jalal el-Gallal said the NTC wanted to form an interim government after the fall of Col Gaddafi because its initial members started out as an impromptu group. "This vote proves that Libyans are able to build their future," NTC chairman Mustafa Abdel Jalil was quoted as saying after he voted. | |
| Posted by:Anonymoose |