ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia, Aug. 29 (UPI) -- Nigeria and Ethiopia urged other African countries to follow their lead in supporting the National Transitional Council as the official government of Libya.
Nigeria called the move an effort to prevent the loss of more civilian lives in Libya, The (Lagos) Guardian reported Monday.
"In the interest of peace and stability and the well-being of the people of Libya, the governments of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia have decided to jointly recognize the National Transitional Council as the interim legitimate authority in Libya," the two countries said in a statement.
"We call upon all peace-loving countries in general, African countries and the African Union, in particular, to contribute to peace and stability in Libya by recognizing the authority and legitimacy of the NTC."
Nigeria said the recent events in Libya, where rebels are in the process of overthrowing strongman Moammar Gadhafi, showed the NTC is in control of most of that country.
In the statement, Ethiopia and Nigeria said they "are on the side of the NTC at this important juncture of the history of Libya."
The two countries pledged to support the NTC in "the difficult tasks of establishing an inclusive transitional government, reconstruction, national reconciliation and peace-building in order to meet the yearnings and legitimate aspirations of the Libyan people for human rights, democracy, the rule of law and good governance."
