Musa al-Koni, the deputy leader of Libya’s Government of National Accord (GNA), announced his resignation yesterday
Al-Koni said the U.N.-backed administration had failed to tackle urgent problems arising from years of conflict and political disarray.
The resignation of the deputy leader of Libya’s Government of National Accord raises speculations and doubts on the future of the government in its current form.
Koni said in a press conference in Tripoli said, “I announce my resignation due to the failure of the Presidential Council, because it holds responsibility for the killing, kidnapping, and rape that happened over the past year.”
He added,”I don’t think we are unaware of what the citizens are suffering, but we are incapable, and I admit that we are failures because we didn’t solve the problems, which are many.”
Throughout a year from its formation, the GNA had only gained partial support from Libya’s rival factions.
The GNA was mainly backed by western powers to face the Islamic State, boost Libya’s oil production, and help stem the flow of sub-Saharan migrants from Libya to Europe.
However, the GNA has largely failed to impose its authority over the country, although the Islamic State has been ousted from its former stronghold of Sirte and oil production has recovered slightly.
In March, the GNA’s leaders, including al-Koni, arrived in Tripoli but they have failed to restore the country’s unity.
Since the Libyan Revolution that overthrew the long-time dictator 2011 Muammar Gaddafi, violence has spread in Libya among the different Libyan factions.
Two rival governments operate in Libya, with self-proclaimed authorities controlling the capital of Tripoli and adjacent western areas and an internationally recognized government, based in the eastern Libyan city of Tobruk.
In addition, militias still hold real power and living conditions have deteriorated.
In the same context,the GNA,the third government formed, has been unable to win endorsement for a cabinet from a parliament based in the east of the country, as other power-brokers, as Egypt,UAE,and France,have continued to back a rival government as armed forces allied to them and under the command of Field Marshall Khalifa Haftar have made military gains on the ground.
On the other hand, although the GNA has gradually taken control of some ministries in Tripoli, but it has been unable to improve security or deal with a liquidity crisis, steep inflation, and a collapse in public healthcare provision.
At the same time, Tripoli self declared government,that the GNA displaced, has tried recently to comeback amid the GNA minor developments .
The Presidential Council is made up of nine members who should represent different geographical regions and political currents within Libya.
In fact,Koni is one of three members from the south.
The Council has been divided as two of its number mostly boycotting proceedings, and at the same time, different members regularly issuing contradictory statements.
It is noteworthy that an eastern member of the Council, Fathi al-Majbari, announced a series of appointments last weekend during GNA Prime Minister Fayez Seraj’s absence that were subsequently repudiated by another of the council’s members.
