The UN’s Libya envoy Martin Kobler was in Tobruk for the vote and said in a tweet he was “encouraged” by the presence of “many” deputies.
It also coincides with moves by the GNA to further assert its authority in the war-torn North African nation by taking control on Monday of three ministries.
Let me also stress that we reiterated that we will ensure that all our support is guaranteeing full Libyan ownership – this is an issue that we stressed very much with Prime Minister [Fayez] al-Sarraj and will be coordinated and coherent with other worldwide support under the overall coordination of UNSMIL.
Libya has had two rival administrations since mid-2014 when a militia alliance took over Tripoli, setting up its own authority and forcing the recognized parliament to flee to the remote east, where it is based in Tobruk.
The House of Commons Foreign Affairs Committee last week accused Mr Hammond of being “less than candid” about the prospect of British troops being sent to Libya following a visit to Tunisia during which they were told as many as 1,000 could join a 6,000-strong worldwide assistance mission.
Western European states have also said they hope to reopen their embassies in the near future.
Thank you to all Libyans: “you make me feel at home”, Martin Kobler said on Twitter after landing in a United Nations aircraft.
“As the Foreign Secretary says, it faces a formidable task in ensuring security, restoring public services, building up the economy and tackling the threat from Daesh”.
This move follows Italy’s Foreign Minister Paolo Gentiloni’s visit to Libya on Tuesday, thus putting an end to the political isolation imposed by the global community on Tripoli’s authorities since “Fajr Libya” (Libyan Dawn) forces announced their seizure on Tripoli.
“Britain is at the forefront of the worldwide community’s efforts to stabilise Libya and is committing an extra £10 million to help the government of national accord strengthen political institutions, the economy, security, and justice”.
Hammond added that Defense and Foreign Ministers in the European Union will meet later on Monday with the UN-proposed government’s Presidential Council via satellite to discuss the ways possible to provide the government with the needed assistance.
Since then he was won the trust of local officials, including mayors of cities ruled by the Tripoli administration, and key state institutions have pledged allegiance to the GNA.
The 28 foreign affairs ministers were seeking to have a teleconference with Serraj late Monday.
It comes days after a visit from the French and German foreign ministers who also gave their backing.
IS claimed responsibility for a vehicle bombing on Friday near the city of Benghazi that security sources said left two soldiers of the internationally recognised government dead and three wounded.
The precarious nature of Mr Serraj’s putative new government was underlined when he and his team were forced to sail into Tripoli when they arrived in March because the authority controlling the capital refused to allow them into its airspace.
