View source for General People's Committee

{{Short description|Executive branch of the government of the Libyan Arab Jamahiriya}}
{{Muammar Gaddafi series}}
{{Politics of Libya under Muammar Gaddafi}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2022}}

The '''General People's Committee''' ({{langx|ar|اللجنة الشعبية العامة}}, ''al-lajna ash-sha'biyya al-'āmma''), often abbreviated as the '''GPCO''', was the executive branch of the government of [[Libya]], during the existence of [[Muammar Gaddafi]]'s [[Libyan Arab Jamahiriya]]. It served as the intermediary between the masses and government leadership and was composed of the [[List of heads of government of Libya#Libyan Arab Jamahiriya (1977–2011)|Secretary-General]] and twenty secretaries of some 600 local [[Basic People's Congress (political)|Basic People's Congresses]] (BPC), GPCO members were elected by the country's [[parliament]], the [[General People's Congress (Libya)|General People's Congress]] (GPC), and had no fixed terms.

The GPCO was the rough equivalent of the [[Cabinet (government)|cabinet]] in many [[republic]]s, [[Constitutional democracy|constitutional democracies]], and [[constitutional monarchy|constitutional monarchies]], as well as the Executive Board of the Libya's own subsequent [[National Transitional Council]], which ultimately replaced the ''jamahiriya'' as Libya's dominant force in 2011, as a result of the [[First Libyan Civil War]]. The GPCO was scattered by the [[Battle of Tripoli (2011)|fall of Tripoli]], with some of its members fleeing into exile, some becoming [[prisoner of war|prisoners of war]], and some remaining in Libya.

==History==
In March 1977, the General People's Congress (GPC) adopted the "[[Declaration on the Establishment of the Authority of the People]]" and proclaimed the [[Libyan Arab Jamahiriya]]. The people exercise authority through the people's committees, people's congresses, professional associations, and the GPC. Elections were direct, and all voting consisted of a show of hands or a division into yea-or-nay camps. Suffrage and committee or congress membership were open to all Libyan citizens eighteen years of age or older in good legal and political standing.

In theory, the residents of each zone elected their own people's committee. Similarly, the residents of each branch [[Baladiyat of Libya|municipality]] elected their own Basic People's Congress (BPC). The BPC members then elected a chairman and a five-member branch or municipal people's committee. The General People's Congress was 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.<ref>[http://www.uam.es/otroscentros/medina/libya/libpolpol.htm Medina Project, Libyan Political System] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071130083347/http://www.uam.es/otroscentros/medina/libya/libpolpol.htm |date=30 November 2007 }}</ref> The GPCO replaced the former Council of Ministers, its members being referred to as secretaries rather than ministers. [[Legislative]] and [[Executive (government)|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. [[Muammar Gaddafi]], 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 policy]] and information, were relocated away from [[Tripoli, Libya|Tripoli]]. In early 1993 it was announced that the Secretariat for Foreign Liaison and International Cooperation was to be moved to [[Ra's Lanuf]].<ref>''A History of Modern Libya'' By Dirk J. Vandewalle</ref>

==Competences of GPCO==
# Implement laws and resolutions issued by the GPC ( مؤتمر الشعب العام ) formulated by the BPC ( المؤتمرات شعبية اساسية ).
# Prepare project proposals and budgets 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.<ref>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.</ref>
# 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]], [[Treaty|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 the GPCO for the traditional.

==GPCO Ministries==
{{See also|Domestic responses to the Libyan Civil War (2011)}}
By the end of the Gaddafi era, the General People's Committee consisted of the following sub-agencies, led by a cabinet secretary:<ref>Rashid Khashana, Swiss Info: 1 February 2007</ref>

{| class="wikitable"
! Committee 
!Equivalent ministry!! Website 
|- bgcolor="f1f5fa" align="right"
| Secretary of the GPCO 
|[[Prime Minister of Libya]]||[https://web.archive.org/web/20070422154143/http://www.gpco.gov.ly/ www.gpco.gov.ly] 
|- bgcolor="f1f5fa" align="right"
| Assistant Secretary 
|[[Prime Minister of Libya|Deputy Prime Minister of Libya]]||
|- bgcolor="f1f5fa" align="right"
| [[Minister of Defence (Libya)|General Committee for Defence]]
|Minister of Defence||
|- bgcolor="f1f5fa" align="right"
| [[Ministry of Youth and Sports (Libya)|GPCO for Youth and Sports]]
|Minister of Youth and Sports|| [https://web.archive.org/web/20070914231327/http://www.gpcs.gov.ly/ www.gpcs.gov.ly] 
|- bgcolor="f1f5fa" align="right"
| [[Minister of Foreign Affairs (Libya)|GPCO for Foreign Liaison and International Cooperation]]
| Minister of Foreign Affairs|| [http://www.foreign.gov.ly/ www.foreign.gov.ly] 
|- bgcolor="f1f5fa" align="right"
|
| Minister of Economy, Trade and Investment||
|- bgcolor="f1f5fa" align="right"
|
| Minister of Tourism||
|- bgcolor="f1f5fa" align="right"
| [[Ministry of Culture and Information (Libya)|GPCO for Culture and Information]]
| Minister of Culture and Information||
|- bgcolor="f1f5fa" align="right"
| [[Ministry of Finance (Libya)|GPCO for Justice]]
| Minister of Justice||
|- bgcolor="f1f5fa" align="right"
| [[Ministry of Finance (Libya)|GPCO for Finance]]
|Minister of Finance|| [http://www.mof.gov.ly/ www.mof.gov.ly] 
|- bgcolor="f1f5fa" align="right"
| [[Ministry of Interior (Libya)|GPCO for Public Security]]
|Minister of Interior||[https://web.archive.org/web/20120421203544/http://www.almiezan.gov.ly/ www.almiezan.gov.ly] 
|- bgcolor="f1f5fa" align="right"
| [[Ministry of Education (Libya)|GPCO for Education]]
| Minister of Higher Education|| [https://web.archive.org/web/20140519224935/http://www.edu.gov.ly/ www.edu.gov.ly] 
|- bgcolor="f1f5fa" align="right"
| GPCO for Industry and Mines   
| Minister of Industry and Mines||
|- bgcolor="f1f5fa" align="right"
| GPCO for Agriculture, Livestock and Marine Wealth 
| Minister of Agriculture, Animal Wealth and Marine Resources||
|- bgcolor="f1f5fa" align="right"
| [[Ministry of Health and Environment (Libya)|GPCO for Health and Environment]]
| Minister of Health||
|- bgcolor="f1f5fa" align="right"
| [[Ministry of Social Affairs (Libya)|GPCO for Social Affairs]]
| Minister of Social Affairs||
|- bgcolor="f1f5fa" align="right"
| [[Ministry of Higher Education (Libya)|GPCO for Higher Education]]
| Minister of Higher Education|| [https://web.archive.org/web/20190217043504/http://www.higheredu.gov.ly/ www.higheredu.gov.ly] 
|- bgcolor="f1f5fa" align="right"
| GPCO for Telecommunications and Transport
| Minister of Telecommunications and Transport|| [https://web.archive.org/web/20131019165146/http://ctt.gov.ly/ www.ctt.gov.ly] 
|- bgcolor="f1f5fa" align="right"
| GPCO for Electricity, Water Resources and Gas 
| Minister of Electricity, Water Resources and Gas||
|- bgcolor="f1f5fa" align="right"
| GPCO for Manpower, Training and Employment 
| Minister of Manpower, Training and Operation|| [https://web.archive.org/web/20110906054310/http://www.smpt.gov.ly/ www.smpt.gov.ly] 
|- bgcolor="f1f5fa" align="right"
|GPCO for Planning
| Minister of Planning|| [https://web.archive.org/web/20100919003256/http://www.wpc.gov.ly/ wpc.gov.ly] 
|}

== Notes ==
{{small|Notes:<br />
1. Ministers in italics are no longer serving.<br>
2. The GPCO was changed in 2007: Ministers of Tourism and Energy were removed.}}

== See also ==
{{Portal|Libya}}
* [[Basic People's Congress (administrative division)]]
* [[Basic People's Congress (political)]]
* [[Direct democracy]]
* [[General People's Congress (Libya)]]
* [[Human rights in Libya#Libya under Gaddafi|Human rights in Libya under Gaddafi]]

== References ==
{{reflist|2}}

{{Libya topics}}

[[Category:Government of Libya]]
[[Category:Political history of Libya]]
[[Category:National cabinets|Libya]]
[[Category:History of Libya under Muammar Gaddafi]]
[[Category:1977 establishments in Libya]]
[[Category:2011 disestablishments in Libya]]