Libya premier vows to provide COVID-19 vaccines soon

Libya’s new Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibeh pledged Saturday to provide vaccines against the coronavirus pandemic at the earliest possible time.

"The vaccine will be provided to Libyan citizens, foreign residents and migrants,” Dbeibeh said as he attended an event on COVID-19 in the capital Tripoli.

"Wearing masks will be mandatory. This is the least thing we can do in our effort to curb the virus,” Dbeibeh added in a statement issued by his office.

Libya’s taskforce on the coronavirus said Tuesday that the country will import 300,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccines this month.

On March 2, the World Health Organization said Libya will receive 292,800 doses of the British AstraZeneca vaccine as part of its global COVAX initiative.

Libya so far confirmed 143,643 virus infections, including 2,348 fatalities.

*Ahmed Asmar contributed to this report from Ankara