SKHIRAT, Morocco -- The United Nations envoy for Libya has announced a national unity government for Libya after months of difficult talks between the North African country's two rival governments.
Bernardino Leon said at a news conference late Thursday that the names of candidates for the national unity government have been decided.
The announcement is a step toward stabilizing the oil-rich country that fell apart after the overthrow of dictator Moammar Gadhafi in 2011. The country has been split between an Islamist-backed government based in Tripoli and an internationally recognized government in the country's east.
Leon said the prime minister for the new government is Fayez Sarraj, a̶ ̶m̶e̶m̶b̶e̶r̶ ̶o̶f̶ ̶t̶h̶e̶ ̶T̶r̶i̶p̶o̶l̶i̶-̶b̶a̶s̶e̶d̶ ̶p̶a̶r̶l̶i̶a̶m̶e̶n̶t̶ who represents Tripoli in the internationally recognized Tobruk House of Representatives*.
"We believe this list can work," Leon said of the names, which include three deputies for the prime minister -- representing the country's east, west and south -- and two ministers to complete a presidential council.
"All of them will work as a team," Leon said. He added, "This was not an easy task."
Mussa al-Kouni, one of the proposed deputy prime ministers, said: "The hardest part has just begun."
Naima Jibril, a judge and member of the Libyan National Dialogue Commission, praised the inclusion of two women ministers in the list. "Libyan women are capable of playing successful roles in future government," she said.
The U.N. envoy had expected to announce a national unity government Wednesday, the latest in a series of dates the U.N. and the international community had been pushing the rival governments to meet in recent months.
Last week, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and others at a high-level U.N. meeting urged the governments to act quickly and reach a deal, warning that the instability in the country was giving room for extremist groups like the Islamic State to expand.
In addition, Libya's chaos has opened the door to a surge of migrants and refugees who set off from its coast in often rickety boats operated by smugglers. Many have died on the journey.
On Monday, the internationally recognized government had voted to extend its mandate past the Oct. 20 deadline that was part of a political road map sketched out after Gadhafi was overthrown, signaling a lack of confidence in the U.N.'s efforts.
A new unity government has multiple challenges, including an economy near collapse, a number of active militia groups and severe needs for basic assistance.
The U.N. says an estimated 2.44 million people in Libya -- nearly 40 percent of the country's population -- are in need of protection and some form of humanitarian aid.
A Section on 10/09/2015
*CORRECTION: Proposed Libyan Prime Minister Fayez Sarraj represents Tripoli in the internationally recognized Tobruk House of Representatives. This article incorrectly said Sarraj is a member of the Islamist-backed government in Tripoli.