Libya unity government formed, UN urges support

A Libyan unity government was formed Tuesday under a UN-brokered deal aimed at ending years of bloodshed, but it was unclear whether the leaders have wide support from the warring sides.

World powers are appealing to the country's rival parliaments to back the new administration to break political paralysis that has provided fertile ground for jihadists and people-smugglers.

But less than half of the members of the two parliaments signed up to the UN-sponsored agreement last month.

The unity government, headed by Fayez al-Sarraj, who was named prime minister-designate under the UN-sponsored accord, comprises 32 ministers, the administration announced on its Facebook page.

Sarraj, a businessman in his 50s from the capital Tripoli, holds degrees in business management and architecture and was a member of a committee that paved the way to national dialogue in Libya.

UN envoy Martin Kobler urged the country's internationally recognised parliament, the House of Representatives, to "promptly convene" and endorse the unity government.

Two-thirds of the legislature must approve the new administration within 10 days so that it can begin carrying out its work.

There was no immediate reaction from the two parliaments.

Libya has been in chaos since the 2011 ouster of longtime dictator Moamer Kadhafi.

A militia alliance including Islamists overran Tripoli in August 2014, establishing its own governmentand parliament and causing the internationally recognised administration to flee to the country's remote east.

On December 17, under UN guidance, around 80 of 188 lawmakers from Libya's internationally recognised parliament and 50 of 136 members of the Tripoli-based General National Congress signed the unity government deal.