General People's Committee of Libya

The General People's Committee (GPCO) ( _ar. اللجنة الشعبية العامة) ("al-lajna ash-sha'bēya al-'āmma") act as secretaries for various Libyan ministries. It serves as the intermediary between the masses and government leadership and is composed of a general secretary and twenty secretaries of some 600 local "basic popular congresses" (BPC), GPCO members are elected by the country's parliament, and have no fixed terms.

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, unions and 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 elect their own people's committee. Similarly, the residents of each branch municipality elect their own Basic People's Congress (BPC). The BPC members then elect a chairman and a five-member branch or municipal people's committee. The General People's Congress is 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. [ [http://www.uam.es/otroscentros/medina/libya/libpolpol.htm Medina Project, Libyan Political System] ] The GPCO replaced the former Council of Ministers, its members now 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. Qadhafi, 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 Ras Lanouf. ["A History of Modern Libya" By Dirk J. Vandewalle]

GPCO Features ("ikhişāşāt")

#Implement laws and resolutions issued by the BPC (مؤتمر الشعب العام ) formulated by the GPC ( 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 River project and other investments.
#Issue decisions on organizational structures for the government.
#Encourage foreign investment in Libya and monitor investments abroad. [Resolution of the General People's Committee No. (86) of (2006) Of Modification of some provisions of the Executive Regulation of Law no. (5) of 14-26 P.B. with regard to Encouragement of Foreign Capital Investment and Stipulation of other Provisions.]
#Adopt curriculum.
#Issue regulations governing contract work financed from the budget.
#Issue and regulate laws as stipulated by the jurisdiction.
#Establish, consolidate and organize institutions, companies and public works.
#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, conventions 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 January 22, 2007, the current General People's Committee consists of the following members: [Rashid Khashana, Swiss Info: February 1, 2007]

Notes:
1. The GPCO was changed in 2007: Tourism and energy were removed.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs includes the following Assistants:

* Muhammad Tahir Sayyala, Cooperation
* Ali Abdesalam Traki, African Affairs
* Muftah Omar Madi, Magharibi Affairs

Other Secretary assistants
* Omaran Hemida Sudani - assistant secretary of Public Security. (now acting secretary )
* Ashour Khalifa Tribil - assistant secretary of Finance

Notes

External links

* [http://gpco.gov.ly/home.php GPCO Website]
* [http://www.fita.org/countries/cadre_92.html Libya: Country Profile]
* [http://www.uam.es/otroscentros/medina/libya/libpolpol.htm Libyan Government Overview]
* [http://www.gpcs.gov.ly/en/ General People's Committee For Youth and Sports - Libya Homepage]
* [http://www.workmall.com/wfb2001/libya/libya_history_the_socialist_peoples_libyan_arab_jamahiriya.html History of the Socialist Peoples Libyan Arab Jamahiriya]

See also