‘’Dbeibah’’ Who is Libya’s New Prime Minister?

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Fathy Abdul Hamid Dbeibah

Born in 1959 in the western city of Misrata, Libya

A former associate of Gaddafi regime 

Dbeibah will have 21 days to form a cabinet and another three weeks to win a vote of confidence in parliament 

Abdul Hamid Dbeibah, a businessman-turned-politician, has been selected as Libya’s new interim prime minister by 75 members of the Libyan Political Dialogue Forum.  

Dbeibah, along with a three-member Presidential Council, will have the vital task of preparing the ground for fair national elections in December, as well as ensuring the safe participation of Libyans in the electoral process.

Dbeibah moved to Canada early on in his career to pursue a graduate degree in engineering at the University of Toronto.

He moved back to Misrata city during a construction boom where he eventually caught the eye of Gaddafi’s close associates

In 2007, he led the Libyan Investment and Development Company LIDCO

He was responsible for some of the country’s biggest public works projects, including the construction of 1,000 housing units in Sirte

Dbeibah, largely seen as an outsider compared with the other candidates, now faces an ambitious and challenging program

He has 21 days to form a cabinet and another three weeks to win a vote of confidence in parliament.

By March 19, at the latest, he should be ready to forge ahead with a 10-month transition aimed at preparing the country for elections on December 24.

Also, the 61-year-old pledged to “use education and training as a path towards stability”.

“We will work so that security organs are professional and weapons are placed under the monopoly of the state,” he said.

Dbeibah has also promised to set up a ministry of “national reconciliation” to encourage back foreign investors and create jobs for the young.

He has set a target of ending “within six months at the most” the daily power cuts that have plagued Libya for years.