General People's Committee of Libya
Encyclopedia
The General People's Committee , often abbreviated as the GPCO, acted as secretaries for various Libya
n ministries
during the era of the Libyan Arab Jamahiriya. It served as the intermediary between the masses and government leadership and was composed of a general secretary
and twenty secretaries of some 600 local "basic popular congresses
" (BPC), GPCO members were elected by the country's parliament
, the General People's Congress, and had no fixed terms.
It was the rough equivalent of the cabinet
in many republic
s, constitutional democracies, and constitutional monarchies
, as well as the Executive Board of the rival National Transitional Council
, which ultimately replaced the jamahiriya as Libya's dominant force as a result of the 2011 Libyan civil war
. The GPCO was scattered by the fall of Tripoli
in August, with some of its members fleeing into exile, some becoming prisoners of war
, and some remaining at large in Libya.
In theory, the residents of each zone
elected their own people's committee. Similarly, the residents of each branch municipality
elected their own Basic People's Congress (BPC). The BPC members then elected a chairman and a five-member branch or municipal people's committee. The General People's Congress was made up of the chairmen of the BPC, the branch and municipal people's committees, and representatives of the people's committees for unions, professional associations and student unions. The GPCO replaced the former Council of Ministers, its members being referred to as secretaries rather than ministers. Legislative and executive
authority was vested in the GPC. This body, however, delegated most important authority to its general secretary and General Secretariat and to the GPCO. Muammar al-Gaddafi
, as general secretary of the GPC, remained primary policy maker. As a part of a decentralisation program undertaken during September 1988, all GPCO secretariats, except those responsible for foreign affairs
and information, were relocated away from Tripoli
. In early 1993 it was announced that the Secretariat for Foreign Liaison and International Cooperation was to be moved to Ra's Lanuf
.
Notes:
1. Ministers in italics are no longer serving.
2. The GPCO was changed in 2007: Ministers of Tourism and Energy were removed.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs includes the following Assistants:
Other Secretary assistants
Libya
Libya is an African country in the Maghreb region of North Africa bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to the north, Egypt to the east, Sudan to the southeast, Chad and Niger to the south, and Algeria and Tunisia to the west....
n ministries
Ministry (government department)
A ministry is a specialised organisation responsible for a sector of government public administration, sometimes led by a minister or a senior public servant, that can have responsibility for one or more departments, agencies, bureaus, commissions or other smaller executive, advisory, managerial or...
during the era of the Libyan Arab Jamahiriya. It served as the intermediary between the masses and government leadership and was composed of a general secretary
General secretary
-International intergovernmental organizations:-International nongovernmental organizations:-Sports governing bodies:...
and twenty secretaries of some 600 local "basic popular congresses
Basic People's Congress
Basic People's Congress is a term related to the former Libyan political system. It can refer to one of the following:*Basic People's Congress *Basic People's Congress...
" (BPC), GPCO members were elected by the country's parliament
Parliament
A parliament is a legislature, especially in those countries whose system of government is based on the Westminster system modeled after that of the United Kingdom. The name is derived from the French , the action of parler : a parlement is a discussion. The term came to mean a meeting at which...
, the General People's Congress, and had no fixed terms.
It was the rough equivalent of the cabinet
Cabinet (government)
A Cabinet is a body of high ranking government officials, typically representing the executive branch. It can also sometimes be referred to as the Council of Ministers, an Executive Council, or an Executive Committee.- Overview :...
in many republic
Republic
A republic is a form of government in which the people, or some significant portion of them, have supreme control over the government and where offices of state are elected or chosen by elected people. In modern times, a common simplified definition of a republic is a government where the head of...
s, constitutional democracies, and constitutional monarchies
Constitutional monarchy
Constitutional monarchy is a form of government in which a monarch acts as head of state within the parameters of a constitution, whether it be a written, uncodified or blended constitution...
, as well as the Executive Board of the rival National Transitional Council
National Transitional Council
The National Transitional Council of Libya , sometimes known as the Transitional National Council, the Interim National Council, or the Libyan National Council,...
, which ultimately replaced the jamahiriya as Libya's dominant force as a result of the 2011 Libyan civil war
2011 Libyan civil war
The 2011 Libyan civil war was an armed conflict in the North African state of Libya, fought between forces loyal to Colonel Muammar Gaddafi and those seeking to oust his government. The war was preceded by protests in Benghazi beginning on 15 February 2011, which led to clashes with security...
. The GPCO was scattered by the fall of Tripoli
Battle of Tripoli (2011)
The Battle of Tripoli was a military confrontation in Tripoli, Libya, between loyalists of Muammar Gaddafi, the longtime leader of Libya, and the National Transitional Council, which was attempting to overthrow Gaddafi and take control of the capital...
in August, with some of its members fleeing into exile, some becoming prisoners of war
Prisoner of war
A prisoner of war or enemy prisoner of war is a person, whether civilian or combatant, who is held in custody by an enemy power during or immediately after an armed conflict...
, and some remaining at large in Libya.
History
In March 1977, the General People's Congress (GPC) adopted the "Declaration of the Establishment of the People's Authority" and proclaimed the Socialist People's Libyan Arab Jamahiriya. The people exercise authority through the people's committees, people's congresses, professional associations, and the GPC. Elections are direct, and all voting consists of a show of hands or a division into yea-or-nay camps. Suffrage and committee or congress membership are open to all Libyan citizens eighteen years of age or older in good legal and political standing.In theory, the residents of each zone
Zone
-Places:France* Any of several divisions during the German occupation of France during World War IIGermany* The Zone , a derogatory term for the German Democratic RepublicGreece...
elected their own people's committee. Similarly, the residents of each branch municipality
Municipality
A municipality is essentially an urban administrative division having corporate status and usually powers of self-government. It can also be used to mean the governing body of a municipality. A municipality is a general-purpose administrative subdivision, as opposed to a special-purpose district...
elected their own Basic People's Congress (BPC). The BPC members then elected a chairman and a five-member branch or municipal people's committee. The General People's Congress was made up of the chairmen of the BPC, the branch and municipal people's committees, and representatives of the people's committees for unions, professional associations and student unions. The GPCO replaced the former Council of Ministers, its members being referred to as secretaries rather than ministers. Legislative and executive
Executive (government)
Executive branch of Government is the part of government that has sole authority and responsibility for the daily administration of the state bureaucracy. The division of power into separate branches of government is central to the idea of the separation of powers.In many countries, the term...
authority was vested in the GPC. This body, however, delegated most important authority to its general secretary and General Secretariat and to the GPCO. Muammar al-Gaddafi
Muammar al-Gaddafi
Muammar Muhammad Abu Minyar Gaddafi or "September 1942" 20 October 2011), commonly known as Muammar Gaddafi or Colonel Gaddafi, was the official ruler of the Libyan Arab Republic from 1969 to 1977 and then the "Brother Leader" of the Libyan Arab Jamahiriya from 1977 to 2011.He seized power in a...
, as general secretary of the GPC, remained primary policy maker. As a part of a decentralisation program undertaken during September 1988, all GPCO secretariats, except those responsible for foreign affairs
Foreign Affairs
Foreign Affairs is an American magazine and website on international relations and U.S. foreign policy published since 1922 by the Council on Foreign Relations six times annually...
and information, were relocated away from Tripoli
Tripoli
Tripoli is the capital and largest city in Libya. It is also known as Western Tripoli , to distinguish it from Tripoli, Lebanon. It is affectionately called The Mermaid of the Mediterranean , describing its turquoise waters and its whitewashed buildings. Tripoli is a Greek name that means "Three...
. In early 1993 it was announced that the Secretariat for Foreign Liaison and International Cooperation was to be moved to Ra's Lanuf
Ra's Lanuf
Ra's Lanuf is a Mediterranean town in northern Libya, on the Gulf of Sidra. The town is also home to the Ra's Lanuf Refinery, completed in 1984, with a crude oil refining capacity of . The oil refinery is operated by the Ra's Lanuf Oil & Gas Processing Company, a subsidiary of the state-owned...
.
GPCO Features (ikhişāşāt)
- Implement laws and resolutions issued by the GPC ( مؤتمر الشعب العام ) formulated by the BPC ( المؤتمرات شعبية اساسية ).
- Prepare project proposals and bugets for the General Planning Council.
- Present plans for public projects to the General Planning Council.
- Propose bills, as well as other topics presented to the BPCs.
- Implement and manage strategic projects.
- Monitor BPC committees, institutions and public companies ensuring accordance to BPC decisions.
- Supervise the Great Manmade RiverGreat Manmade RiverThe Great Man-Made River is a network of pipes that supplies water from the Sahara Desert in Libya, from the Nubian Sandstone Aquifer System fossil aquifer. It is the world's largest irrigation project....
project and other investments. - Issue decisions on organizational structures for the government.
- Encourage foreign investment in Libya and monitor investments abroad.
- Adopt curriculum.
- Issue regulations governing contract work financed from the budget.
- Issue and regulate laws as stipulated by the jurisdictionJurisdictionJurisdiction is the practical authority granted to a formally constituted legal body or to a political leader to deal with and make pronouncements on legal matters and, by implication, to administer justice within a defined area of responsibility...
. - Establish, consolidate and organize institutions, companies and public worksPublic worksPublic works are a broad category of projects, financed and constructed by the government, for recreational, employment, and health and safety uses in the greater community...
. - Operational cost of the GPC or BPC.
Responsibilities
- Implement laws and resolutions issued by the BPCs drafted in the GPC.
- Invitation to GPCO meetings and monitor implementation.
- Propose bills and other topics presented to the GPCO for approval.
- Conclude treaties, conventionsTreatyA treaty is an express agreement under international law entered into by actors in international law, namely sovereign states and international organizations. A treaty may also be known as an agreement, protocol, covenant, convention or exchange of letters, among other terms...
and the international loans (ratified by the BPC). - Adopt minutes for joint committee meetings, and address questions of international cooperation.
- Name Trustees and BPC members and agencies; public corporations and general assembly members of public companies as determined by executive regulations.
- Authorize international institutions and public companies contracting with foreign companies.
- Investigate the popular committees, and punish them in accordance with existing legislation.
- Work assigned by the GPC, secretariat of the GPCO or, or the GPCO for the traditional.
GPCO Ministers
As of 22 January 2007, the current General People's Committee consisted of the following members:| Name | Ministry | Website | Start term | End term |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mustafa Miftah Bel'id al-Dersi Mustafa Miftah Bel'id al-Dersi Mustafa Miftah Bel'id al-Dersi is a Libyan politician who currently serves as Secretary of the General People's Committee of Libya for Youth and Sports.-External links:***... |
Minister of Youth and Sports | www.gpcs.gov.ly | January 2006 | |
| Abu-Bakr Yunis Jabr Abu-Bakr Yunis Jabr Major General Abu-Bakr Yunis Jabr was the Libyan Minister of Defence under the regime of Colonel Muammar Gaddafi. His official position was Secretary of the Libyan General Interim Committee for Defence.There is disagreement about the year of Jabr's birth. According to the UN he was born in 1952... |
Minister of Defence | January 1970 | killed 20 October 2011 | |
| Abd-al-Hafid Mahmud al-Zulaytini Abd-al-Hafid Mahmud al-Zulaytini Dr. Abd-al-Hafid Mahmud al-Zulaytini is a Libyan politician who currently serves as Assistant Secretary of the General People's Committee of Libya .-Background:... |
Assistant Secretary (Deputy Prime Minister Deputy Prime Minister A deputy prime minister or vice prime minister is, in some counties, a government minister who can take the position of acting prime minister when the prime minister is temporarily absent. The position is often likened to that of a vice president, but is significantly different, though both... ) |
January 2007 | ||
| Baghdadi Mahmudi Baghdadi Mahmudi Baghdadi Ali Mahmudi was Secretary of the General People's Committee of Libya from 5 March 2006 to as late as 1 September 2011, when he acknowledged the collapse of the GPCO and the ascendance of the National Transitional Council as a result of the Libyan civil war... |
Secretary of the GPCO (Prime Minister Prime minister A prime minister is the most senior minister of cabinet in the executive branch of government in a parliamentary system. In many systems, the prime minister selects and may dismiss other members of the cabinet, and allocates posts to members within the government. In most systems, the prime... ) |
March 2006 | fled the country 23 August 2011 | |
| Abdel Rahman Shalgham Abdel Rahman Shalgham Abdel Rahman Shalgam is a Libyan politician. He was Foreign Minister of Libya from 2000 to 2009.From 1984 to 1995, before taking the office of Foreign Minister, Abdel Rahman Shalgham was Secretary of Libya's People's Bureau to Rome, Italy.From 1998 to 2000 he was appointed Secretary of Foreign... Moussa Koussa |
Minister of Foreign Liaison and International Cooperation | www.foreign.gov.ly | 2000 4 March 2009 |
replaced 4 March 2009 resigned 30 March 2011 |
| Ehtuish Ehtuish Ehtuish Ehtuish Ehtuish Farag Ehtuish is a Libyan Surgeon, prof. of Surgery and politician. He served as the minister of health from 1998 to 2000... |
Minister of Health | 2000 | ||
| Tahar al-Hadi Al-Juhaymi | Minister of Planning | 2006 | ||
| Ali Abd-al-Aziz al-Isawi Ali Abd-al-Aziz al-Isawi Ali Abd-al-Aziz al-Isawi is a Libyan politician who is a leading figure of the National Transitional Council of Libya and was the Vice-Chairman of the Executive Board of the NTC until his dismissal along with the board's other ministers on 8 August 2011. He previously served as the Minister of... |
Minister of Economy, Trade and Investment | January 2007 | ||
| Ammar Latif | Minister of Tourism | Office removed | ||
| Nuri Daw al-Humaydi | Minister of Culture and Information | 2006 | ||
| Mustafa Abdul Jalil Mustafa Abdul Jalil Mustafa Abdul Jalil or Abdul-Jalil is the Chairman of the National Transitional Council of Libya, and as such serves as head of state in Libya's caretaker government which was formed as a result of the 2011 Libyan civil war. He is also a spokesman for the city of Bayda... |
Minister of Justice | January 2007 | resigned 21 February 2011 | |
| Muhammad al-Huwayj Muhammad al-Huwayj Muhammad Ali Al-Huwayj is a Libyan politician who served as Secretary of the General People's Committee of Libya for Finance. He replaced former GPCO Minister of Finance, Dr. Ahmed Munaysi Abd-al-Hamid.-Activities:... |
Minister of Finance | www.mof.gov.ly | January 2007 | |
| Salih Rajab al-Mismari Salih Rajab al-Mismari Brigadier General Salih Rajab al-Mismari was a Libyan politician and general in the Libyan army who served as Secretary of the General People's Committee of Libya for Public Security during the Gaddafi regime from 2006 to 2011.-Notes:... |
Minister of Public Security | 2006 | ||
| Baghdadi Mahmudi Baghdadi Mahmudi Baghdadi Ali Mahmudi was Secretary of the General People's Committee of Libya from 5 March 2006 to as late as 1 September 2011, when he acknowledged the collapse of the GPCO and the ascendance of the National Transitional Council as a result of the Libyan civil war... |
Minister of Education | www.edu.gov.ly | 2006 | fled the country 23 August 2011 |
| Ali Yusuf Zikri Ali Yusuf Zikri Ali Yusuf Zikri is a Libyan politician and engineer who served in the Libyan government as Secretary of the General People's Committee of Libya for Industry and Mines. He received this appointmentin January 2007 and replaced former Minister of Industry & Mines, Ali Umar al-Hasnawi... |
Minister of Industry and Mines | January 2007 | ||
| Abu-Bakr al-Mansouri Abu-Bakr al-Mansouri Dr. Abu Bakr Al-Mabrouk Al-Mansouri is a Libyan politician who served as Secretary of the General People's Committee of the Secretariat for Agriculture, Animal Wealth and Marine Resources... |
Minister of Agriculture, Animal Wealth and Marine Resources | 2006 | ||
| Muhammad Abu al-Ujayli Rashid | Minister of Health and Environment | January 2007 | ||
| Ibrahim al-Zuruq al-Sharif | Minister of Social Affairs | January 2007 | ||
| Agil Husayn Agil | Minister of Higher Education | www.higheredu.gov.ly | January 2007 | |
| Muhammad Abu-Ujayl al-Mabruk | Minister of Telecommunications and Transport | www.ctt.gov.ly | January 2007 | |
| Umran Ibrahim Abu-Kra'a | Minister of Electricity, Water Resources and Gas | January 2007 | ||
| Muhammad Ali Al-Hwije | Minister of Finance | January 2007 | ||
| M'atoog Mohamed M'atoog | Minister of Manpower, Training and Operation | www.smpt.gov.ly | ||
| Mahmoud Jibril Mahmoud Jibril Mahmoud Jibril el-Warfally , also transcribed Jabril or Jebril or Gebril, is a Libyan politician who served as the interim Prime Minister of Libya for seven and a half months during the 2011 Libyan civil war, chairing the executive board of the National Transitional Council from 5 March 2011 to 23... |
Minister of National Planning Council | wpc.gov.ly | January 2007 | |
| Abdul Rahman Gamudi | Minister of General Investment | www.gia.gov.ly www.lsm.gov.ly |
January 2007 | |
| Ali Shamkh | Minister of Energy | April 2009 | ||
| Shukri Ghanem Shukri Ghanem Shukri Mohammed Ghanem is a Libyan politician who was General Secretary of the General People's Committee of Libya from June 2003 until March 2006 when, in the first major government re-shuffle in over a decade, he was replaced by his deputy, Baghdadi Mahmudi... |
Minister of Oil | October 2009 | defected mid-May 2011, previously reported (erroneously) as defecting February 2011 |
|
| Abdul Fatah Younis Abdul Fatah Younis Abdul Fatah Younis , sometimes transliterated Fattah Younis or Fattah Younes or Fatah Younes, was a senior military officer in Libya. He held the rank of Major General and the post of Minister of Interior, but resigned on 22 February 2011 to defect to the rebel side in what was to become the 2011... |
Minister of Interior and Army Army An army An army An army (from Latin arma "arms, weapons" via Old French armée, "armed" (feminine), in the broadest sense, is the land-based military of a nation or state. It may also include other branches of the military such as the air force via means of aviation corps... General General A general officer is an officer of high military rank, usually in the army, and in some nations, the air force. The term is widely used by many nations of the world, and when a country uses a different term, there is an equivalent title given.... |
? | defected 22 February 2011 |
Notes:
1. Ministers in italics are no longer serving.
2. The GPCO was changed in 2007: Ministers of Tourism and Energy were removed.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs includes the following Assistants:
- Muhammad Tahir Sayyala, Assistant Foreign Minister for Cooperation
- Ali Treki, Assistant Foreign Minister for African Affairs
- Muftah Omar Madi, Assistant Foreign Minister for Magharibi Affairs
Other Secretary assistants
- Omaran Hemida Sudani - Assistant Secretary of Public Security (now acting Secretary for Public SecuritySecretary for Public SecurityThe Secretary for Public Security was the top law enforcement officer in Portuguese Macau.The Secretary headed the Secretariat for Public Security, which as responsible for the disciplinary services in Macau...
) - Ashour Khalifa Tribil - Assistant Secretary of Finance
See also
- Basic People's Congress (country subdivision)Basic People's Congress (country subdivision)Basic People's Congress is the smallest administrative subdivision in Libya.Geographically it corresponds approximately to the level of a township or borough....
- Basic People's Congress (political)Basic People's Congress (political)The Basic Peoples Congress or Fundamental Popular Council was the smallest unit of government in Libya under Muammar Gaddafi's Great Socialist People's Libyan Arab Jamahiriya regime...
- Direct democracyDirect democracyDirect democracy is a form of government in which people vote on policy initiatives directly, as opposed to a representative democracy in which people vote for representatives who then vote on policy initiatives. Direct democracy is classically termed "pure democracy"...
- General People's Committee
- General People's Congress (Libya)
- Human rights in LibyaHuman rights in LibyaThe Kingdom of Libya, from 1951 to 1969, was heavily influenced and educated by the British and American oil companies. The King was very westernized and Libya also had a constitution. The kingdom, however, was marked by a feudal regime, where Libya had a low literacy rate of 10%, a low life...