UPDATES WITH REMARKS BY LIBYAN PM, EDIT THROUGHOUT
By Mohamed Artimah
TRIPOLI, Libya (AA) – Libya's new Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibeh on Wednesday described the parliament's vote of confidence to his interim government as a "historical moment" and pledged to end war in his country.
In a televised speech before the House of Representatives after granting confidence to the new Libyan government by an absolute majority, Dbeibeh said: "Giving confidence to the government is a historic moment."
“The war will not be repeated again,” Dbeibeh said, calling on the Libyan parliament to pursue unity to help make up for the past years of division and war.
The Libya premier also pledged to support the High National Elections Commission, complete the constitutional and legal preparations to hold the elections as scheduled and ensure that the complaints of the citizens are heard throughout the country.
Dbeibeh thanked the UN and other states that support political dialogue in Libya, saying: "I will work hard to support the Presidency Council and to achieve transitional justice to render national reconciliation successful."
Earlier Wednesday, in a majority vote, Libya's parliament granted confidence to Dbeibeh’s new unity government.
Dbeibeh proposed a unity government of 27 members on Saturday, promising that the government will prioritize "improving services, unifying state institutions, and ending the transitional period by holding elections."
On Feb. 5, Libya's rival political groups agreed in UN-mediated talks to form an interim unity government to lead the country to elections this December, where Dbeibeh was designated as the prime minister and tasked with forming a new government.
Libyans hope that this will end years of civil war that have engulfed the country since the ouster and killing of strongman Muammar al-Qaddafi in 2011.
The war was exacerbated when warlord Khalifa Haftar, supported by the United Arab Emirates, Egypt, Russia, and France, among others, carried out a military onslaught to topple the Tripoli-based internationally recognized government for control of the North African country.
