Dr Abdul Raheem al-Keeb, an electrical engineer by trade, was elected yesterday as interim leader by the National Transitional Council.
Abdul Raheem al-Keeb formerly studied in the United States where he received a doctorate in electrical engineering from North Carolina State University.
As an academic and a businessman Al-Keeb has spent much of his political and commercial career outside Libya where he is not a well recognised figure. He has a storng academic background but has also worked in the oil industry.
Al-Keeb’s leadership in Libya will last for eight months before new elections take place for a national assembly which will have one year to formulate a new national constitution before a full parliamentary poll.
In the mean time Al-Keeb is to select an interim Cabinet and has expressed a wish restore respect for Libya’s ‘national rights’. He also sought to reassure the international community that concerns over the security of foreign oil contracts.
NTC chairman Mustafa Abdel Jalil was quoted as saying approved the election of Al-Keeb saying that it reflected the will and ability of the Libyan people to rebuild their future.
