Zeidan government sworn in

By Sami Zaptia.

Tripoli, 14 November:

Libyan Prime Minister Ali Zeidan and the majority of his newly elected government were sworn in today at a ceremony at the General National Congress (GNC) hall in Tripoli.

The ceremony was attended by the diplomatic corps, the outgoing Prime Minister Abdurrahman Al-Kib and members of his government, members of the former National Transitional Council (NTC) as well as other prominent members of Libyan society.

The ceremony was opened by GNC leader Mohamed Magarief who thanked the NTC of Mustafa Abdul Jalil, and Mahmoud Jibril’s first post-revolution admninstration, the Executive Office, as well as the interim government of Al-Kib.

Gesturing towards those sitting ahead of him, Magarief said emphatically that ‘‘we would not be where we are today were it not for their efforts’’.

Speaking about Zeidan’s term in office, Magarief went on to say that his GNC “looked forward to working closely with his government on all the forthcoming important issues that are facing the nation’’.

Prime Minister Ali Zeidan said that his “government was formed in difficult conditions and was faced by many obstacles before it received the vote of confidence. And here we are today at this swearing-in ceremony’’.

“I assured the head of the GNC that this government will give its utmost best to the nation based on the rule of law, human rights, democracy, rights, and the belief in God, his Prophet and a state based on Islam’’, he added.

Zeidan went on to give a preview of the bases of his administration, saying that during meetings with his government-in-waiting they had looked at the challenges facing them and had decided to put the Transitional Constitutional Declaration as their guide. ‘’We will not give in to pressures that are contrary to this’’, he stressed.

He then explained that he would reveal his government’s programme shortly in a live TV broadcast to the nation.

The new government then took it in turn to go up to the podium individually and swear the oath of office.

The government was incomplete owing to the fact that only yesterday the Integrity Commission had barred four of its members from office. There are also another four members awaiting the final ruling of the Commission. The Minister for Martyr’s Affairs, Sami Saadi had resigned in protest at the lack of representation in Zeidan’s government for the freedom fighters.

After the swearing of the oath of office ceremony was over, the outgoing prime minister symbolically handed over power to Zeidan by presenting him with a small plaque in the shape of the map of Libya.