Libya swears in new prime minister of unity government

Abdul Hamid Dbeibah, Libya’s new prime minister, was sworn in on Monday ahead of United Nations-sponsored elections set for December that aim to reunite the war-wracked country a decade after the overthrow of dictator Moammar Gadhafi.

Dbeibah, a prominent Mistratan businessman, was sworn in in Tobruk on Monday after having been selected as prime minister at UN-backed talks in February. His government was approved by a wide margin last month and will retain power until national elections on Dec. 24.

His administration is expected to supersede war-torn Libya’s two rival governments: the UN-backed administration in Tripoli, and the Tobruk-based House of Representatives, which is aligned with retired Libyan general Khalifa Hifter.

Dbeibah’s bid for head of the new government was briefly marred by bribery allegations reported on by the UN.