Al-Keeb elected Prime Minister as NATO operation ends

Newly-elected Libyan Prime Minister Abdel Rahim al-Keib Libyan businessman Abdel Rahim al-Keeb was elected as the first Libyan Prime Minister after the fall of Colonel Muammar Gaddafi’s regime, receiving the highest votes among his fellow members of the Libyan National Transitional Council (NTC).
The election took place by secret ballot after each candidate was granted 20 minutes to present their proposals of the transitional government.
There were nine other candidates, including: Mustafa Alrajabani and Mustafa the al-Houny, and Nasser Al-Manea, and Mahmoud Al-nikoa, Mahmoud Al-aftysa, Abdul Hafeez Ghoka and Ali Zeidan, Ali Al-Tarhouni, while Dr. Mahmoud Jibril was not included.
The appointment followed UN fears regarding the proliferation of arms stockpiled by Gaddafi.  The UN Security Council on Monday called on Libya's interim authorities and neighboring countries to stop the spread of Gaddafi’s weapons.
Amid growing concern that militant groups in Africa and beyond could get shoulder-fired rockets and other weapons from the Gaddafi cache, the 15-member council unanimously passed a resolution demanding the clampdown.
Resolution 2017, drawn up by Russia, stressed international fears that the stockpile could cause unrest through Africa's Sahel region and fall into the hands of groups such as Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb.
The resolution urged Libya "to take all necessary steps to prevent the proliferation of all arms," especially man-portable surface-to-air missiles, MANPADS.
The UN envoy to Libya, Ian Martin, told the Security Council last week that international inspectors are to visit hundreds of suspected weapons stockpile sites in Libya.
Gaddafi's regime "accumulated the largest known stockpile of anti-aircraft missiles" outside of producing countries, Martin said.
NTC member Abdel-Razzaq al-Eradi also called for accelerating the construction of the security institutions of the army and security services, saying that it must be accelerated to build a strong national army can meet the security challenges, especially in the south of the country, adding that there is information indicating a potential risk of the remnants of the late Libyan Colonel Muammar Gaddafi that restore their powers in northern Niger and Mali.
In addition to the usual ministries such as health, interior, defense, economy, etc., it was also decided to create a ministry for the welfare of martyrs, wounded and missing, and the Ministry of Local Government.
This came about after al-Eradi called for the quick formation of a transitional government, and an army to face security risks especially in the south of Libya. He also called for expediting national reconciliation and respect for human rights.
Al-Eradi stressed that the Libyan media should announce the names of the candidates for the new Libyan government, in order to gauge public opinion.
He also called for accelerating the construction of the security institutions of the army and security services, saying that it must be accelerated to build a strong national army can meet the security challenges, especially in the south of the country, adding that there is information indicating a potential risk of the remnants of the late Libyan Colonel Muammar Gaddafi that restore their powers in northern Niger and Mali.
NATO Chief Anders Fogh Rasmussen also declared the end of military operations of NATO in Libya, saying: "I was proud of the part NATO had played in the seven-month insurgency against Gaddafi, in which NATO planes and ships turned their firepower on his forces.
Rasmussen arrived in a surprise visit to the Libyan capital, Tripoli, on the last day of NATO's military operations in Libya after the disposal of Colonel Muammar Gaddafi , who ruled Libya for more than 42 years.
The operations were called "United Protector", which was described as of "the most successful operations" in the history of the alliance.
The alliance stuck to its decision to end the NATO operation, despite the NTC’s call to keep it going until the end of the year, indicating that though not expected to play a major role after the war, it may help in the transition to democracy by helping reform the security sector.
Rasmussen’s statement came during a joint press conference with NTC President Mustafa Abdul Jalil, where they discussed Libya’s future and the roadmap to democracy.
He had said earlier that the alliance is ready to help Libya to conduct "defense and security reforms," but said that it is time for the United Nations to take command of the task to help Libya.
However, NATO officials said that the members of the alliance were free to provide additional security assistance to Libya individually.
The alliance took over the job in Libya on 31 March, mandated by the United Nations Security Council, to use the various "necessary measures" to protect Libyan civilians.
Among the 14 NATO countries, only eight countries, in addition to four including UAE, Qatar, and Jordan, took part and provided naval and air forces in the combat missions, while other members such as Germany opposed intervention.
U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said that there are very complex political tasks before the new leaders of Libya. Clinton added in an interview with the 'Washington Post' that leaders need to unite the people and tribes to deal with differences and rivalry between the east and the west, and in particular between Tripoli and Benghazi.
NTC military spokesman, Colonel Ahmed Bani, said that the Rebels Brigades discovered chemical weapons in the arsenal of Colonel Muammar Gaddafi in Jafra, south-west Libya. He asked the international community to intervene, noting that there was a group of missiles equipped with mustard gas among the find.
Chief of the Executive Bureau Council, Mahmoud Jibril did not provide more details, saying only that Tripoli had notified the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons based in The Hague.
The head of the Military Council in Tripoli, Abddel Hakilm Belhadj said on Monday that "The Transitional National Council will hand over their weapons to the officials concerned as soon as possible."
Belhadj said in an interview that the weapons obtained by the rebels will be handed over to officials soon, noting that they would be stored in the warehouses of the Ministry of Interior.
He pointed out that the goal of the revolution that began in February is to establish a state based on law and justice, and security is the most important part of it.