Pretoria - The head of Libya's National Transitional Council (NTC), Mahmoud Jibril, says a new interim government will be created in the next few days.
"In our negotiations with all areas; all the cities in the west and the east, the transitional government, and all areas in the south, and even the cities still under siege, will be part of a new government. We started production of oil yesterday. I don't want to say from which field. Within a very short period we will start producing oil and gas from the west. But I don't want to say from which field yet," Jibril said.
As the fighting intensifies, Muammar Gaddafi's whereabouts remain unknown. The ousted Libyan leader said last week that he had not fled to Niger and would fight to death in his country.
Guinea Bissau's prime minister has meanwhile come out saying Gaddafi would be welcome in the West African country if he sought shelter there.
Carlos Gomes Junior said Gaddafi deserved all the respect and good treatment of the Guinea Bissau government and people, adding that "he will be welcome if he needs refuge in our country."
Gaddafi's son Saadi has already fled Libya and taken refuge in Niger, joining other family members who fled last week.
Niger's Justice Minister Marou Adamou says Saadi was part of a group of nine people who crossed the southwestern border. They were intercepted by soldiers near Agadez, which is thought to have seen at least two other convoys carrying Gaddafi loyalists in the past week.
Meanwhile, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) on Friday announced that, guided by the views of its membership, will recognise the NTC as the government of Libya and that it is ready to assist the NTC in its efforts to promote rapid and sustainable economic recovery as the country slowly emerges from a violent civil conflict.
Speaking in Marseilles on the occasion of the Deauville Partnership meeting -- bringing together Finance Ministers of the MENA region and G7 countries and heads of International and Regional Financial Institutions -- Christine Lagarde, the IMF's Managing Director, said: "I am happy to report that reflecting the views of the international community, the IMF will deal with the NTC as the government of Libya.
"In this context, the Fund stands ready to help the authorities through technical assistance, policy advice, and financial support if requested, as they begin to rebuild Libya's economy."
Turning to the policy priorities for the Libyan economy, Lagarde said the immediate priorities will be to address humanitarian needs and ensure security.
The new authorities will also need to quickly restore oil production to generate revenues, stabilise the currency, re-establish a payment system, introduce sound public financial management, and start reforms to foster a more inclusive and sustainable growth for the benefit of all Libyan citizens, said Lagarde.
According to Lagarde, Fund staff is ready to travel to Libya for an initial fact finding mission as soon as conditions allow and to support the new authorities in any way they deem appropriate to help the country's economy recover quickly and be on a stronger and more sustainable footing. -BuaNews-Xinhua
