Turkish Energy Minister: We hold a 40% stake in two Libyan oilfields
Turkish Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Alparslan Bayraktar said that Ankara is exploring opportunities for cooperation in Libya, whether in new oil fields or existing projects, through direct operations or partnerships. The minister made the remarks during the launch of the Turkish drilling vessel “Çağrı Bey” from Taşucu Port in Mersin province in southern Turkey, heading to Somalia to conduct energy exploration activities. In his speech at the ceremony, he described the event as a historic moment, marking Turkey’s first mission to search for oil and natural gas in deep waters outside its own seas, according to Turkish media reports on Monday. Regarding the recent tender held in Tripoli, he added: “Last Wednesday, as part of a new licensing round organized in Libya, we obtained oil and gas exploration rights in two fields, one offshore and one onshore.”He said that Turkish Petroleum will conduct exploration activities in Libya together with its Spanish partner Repsol, adding: “We hold a 40% share in both fields, and all these steps are part of our overseas growth strategy.”He also noted that Turkey signed major strategic agreements with ExxonMobil on January 8, Chevron on February 5, and BP last Thursday, and plans to sign another agreement next week with an international company for partnership in offshore areas abroad. He explained that the goal is for Turkish Petroleum to reach production of nearly 500,000 barrels of oil and gas by 2028.
Source:Libya Observer
February 17, 2026 21:37 UTC
Migrants And Refugees In Libya Subjected To 'systematic' Abuse: UN Report
'Journey of hell'Based on interviews with nearly 100 migrants, asylum-seekers and refugees from 16 countries across Africa, the Middle East and South Asia, the report details harrowing accounts of abduction, arbitrary detention and extreme abuse. It was a journey of hell," said one Eritrean woman detained for six weeks at a trafficking house in Tobruk, eastern Libya. She described being raped repeatedly by multiple men and witnessing the abuse of girls as young as 14. Many experience slavery, forced labour, forced prostitution, extortion, and the confiscation and re-sale of their belongings and identity documents. "The suffering of migrants and refugees in Libya must end," Mr. Türk said.
Source:Libya Today
February 17, 2026 20:54 UTC
Migrants in Libya, including young girls, face rape and torture, UN office says
Libya has become a transit route for migrants fleeing conflict and poverty to Europe across the Mediterranean since the fall in 2011 of dictator Muammar Gaddafi to a NATO-backed uprising. The Libya mission in Geneva did not immediately respond to a request for comment. It cited an Eritrean woman who was detained for over six weeks at a trafficking house in Tobruk, in eastern Libya. Girls as young as 14 were raped daily," she said. The report emphasised the importance of life-saving search and rescue operations for migrants at sea but urged the international community to halt returns to Libya until adequate human rights safeguards are ensured.
Source:Libya Today
February 17, 2026 18:44 UTC
Libya discusses 2Mta cement plant with China’s Goodwill Ceramic
AdvertisementLibya’s Ministry of Industry and Minerals has held talks with Chinese company Goodwill Ceramic (Wankang) Ltd regarding plans to establish a new cement plant with a proposed capacity of 2Mta. During a meeting led by the ministry’s undersecretary for public affairs, production and industrial zones, Mustafa Al-Samou, discussions focused on regulatory and technical procedures required to advance the project, as well as alignment with national industrial development plans. The ministry emphasised that compliance with Libyan legal and technical standards would be essential to ensure product quality and competitiveness. Officials described the project as supporting reconstruction efforts and strengthening domestic cement supply. Representatives of Goodwill Ceramic expressed readiness to complete all required procedures in coordination with the relevant authorities and to implement the project within Libya’s legal framework.
Source:Libya Today
February 17, 2026 16:23 UTC
UN report: migrants in Libya victims of torture and rape
2' min read For feedback, please contactenglish@ilsole24ore.com Translated by AI Versione italianaMigrants, refugees and asylum seekers in Libya are victims of 'systematic human rights violations and abuses', including murder, torture, sexual violence and human trafficking. This is the toll drawn by a report by the UN Human Rights Office and the UN Support Mission in Libya. The report points out that migrants are 'rounded up and abducted by criminal networks of traffickers, often linked to Libyan authorities and criminal networks abroad', describing the rigmarole. The 'normalisation' of abusesThe survey was compiled from interviews with one hundred migrants, asylum seekers and refugees from 16 countries in Africa, the Middle East and South Asia. In the period under the survey's lens, between January 2024 and December 2025, the report between emerges a "pattern of exploitation that preys on migrants, asylum seekers and refugees in more vulnerable situations that has becomebusiness as usual: a brutal and normalised reality".
Source:Libya Today
February 17, 2026 14:17 UTC
Libya: 15 years after uprising against Gaddafi’s rule impunity reigns fueling ongoing abuses
The killing of Saif al-Islam al-Gaddafi earlier this month underscores the inability and unwillingness of the Libyan justice system to ensure accountability and irreversibly robs survivors and relatives of victims of their right to truth and justice. In 2017, a Libyan court sentenced al-Gaddafi to death in absentia in a trial that did not meet international standards. Failure to surrender ICC suspectsLibya’s justice system remains unwilling and unable to effectively investigate crimes committed by powerful militias and armed groups. Italian authorities had arrested him in January 2025 pursuant to the ICC warrant of arrest, but flew him back to Libya the same month. No criminal investigations into claims that crimes under international law were committed at ISA under his command have taken place.
Source:Libya Today
February 17, 2026 13:05 UTC
ZAWYA-PRESSR: Visa forms new Egypt, Libya & Sudan Sub-Region to accelerate digital payments growth
Cairo – Visa V, a global leader in digital payments, today announced the creation of a new sub-region comprising Egypt, Libya, and Sudan as part of its strategic growth plans in the region. This move reflects Visa’s commitment to supporting national government priorities for digital transformation and expanding engagement with financial institutions, fintech and merchant partners. Visa has appointed Malak El Baba as Country Manager for Egypt, Libya, and Sudan. Her expanded geographic leadership will allow Visa to leverage regional synergies, accelerate markets’ growth, and bring advanced digital commerce solutions to consumers and businesses across Egypt, Libya, and Sudan alike. Malak El Baba said “I am honored to take on this expanded role and continue driving Visa’s strategy across Egypt, Libya, and Sudan.
Source:Libya Today
February 17, 2026 11:19 UTC
Low-priced Ramadan dates drive dispute among Libyan traders, farmers
Shatioui on Sunday began offering more than half a million kilograms of dates in markets across various Libyan cities at a price of 20 cents (1 dinar) per kilogram. Traders warn of market falloutHowever, the initiative drew criticism from some people in the sector. He argued that flooding the market with large quantities at very low prices would harm small and medium-sized traders and farmers who rely on the Ramadan season to sell their stored produce, cover costs and secure a reasonable profit margin. Senousi called on regulatory, auditing and security authorities to intervene to stop what he described as “tampering” with local markets. Ramadan is seen as the peak consumption season, as many producers rely on the holy month to market their annual stock and cover production costs.
Source:Libya Today
February 17, 2026 10:52 UTC
Visa forms new Egypt, Libya & Sudan Sub-Region to accelerate digital payments growth
Cairo – Visa (NYSE: V), a global leader in digital payments, today announced the creation of a new sub-region comprising Egypt, Libya, and Sudan as part of its strategic growth plans in the region. Visa has appointed Malak El Baba as Country Manager for Egypt, Libya, and Sudan. Her expanded geographic leadership will allow Visa to leverage regional synergies, accelerate markets’ growth, and bring advanced digital commerce solutions to consumers and businesses across Egypt, Libya, and Sudan alike. Malak El Baba said “I am honored to take on this expanded role and continue driving Visa’s strategy across Egypt, Libya, and Sudan. About VisaVisa (NYSE: V) is a world leader in digital payments, facilitating transactions between consumers, merchants, financial institutions and government entities across more than 200 countries and territories.
Source:Libya Today
February 17, 2026 10:47 UTC
UN: Migrants in Libya Face Systemic Abuse, Violations
OHCHRGENEVA - Migrants, refugees and asylum-seekers in Libya are subjected to ruthless and systematic human rights violations and abuses, which include killings, torture, sexual violence and trafficking, according to a UN report published today. Those intercepted are often forcibly returned to Libya, where they risk facing the same cycle of abuse. Ending all forms of modern slavery, forced labour and human trafficking, and ensuring accountability for human rights violations and abuses are also crucial. The report urges the international community, including the European Union, to establish a moratorium on interceptions and returns to Libya until adequate human rights safeguards are ensured. Technical and financial assistance should be strictly conditioned on demonstrated, consistent respect for international human rights standards and should not proceed where such compliance is not met.
Source:Libya Today
February 17, 2026 10:30 UTC
Libya marks 15 years since protests that toppled Qaddafi
With a drone light show, fireworks and traditional songs, Libya was on Tuesday celebrating the 15th anniversary of the fall of former dictator Muammar Qaddafi. But public disdain towards Qaddafi's rule extended to his family, including his son Saif Al Islam Qaddafi, who was once seen as his father's heir. Saif Al Islam, 53, was this month killed – in mysterious circumstances – in Zintan, western Libya during “direct confrontation” with four gunmen who broke into his home, his office said. People attend the funeral of Saif Al Islam Qaddafi in Bani Walid. Today, post-Qaddafi Libya, a country rich in oil and gas, is reeling after militias vied to fill the void left by the toppled regime.
Source:Libya Today
February 17, 2026 09:27 UTC
Libya Port Project To Aid Growth
Libya’s $2.7 billion investment to expand its main container port, Misurata, is one major indication of the economic transformation efforts anchored on diversification to end oil and gas dependence. Together with the Misurata Free Zone Authority, the investors intend to expand the Misurata port, making it among the most operationally and environmentally efficient facilities in North Africa. Government projections show the expanded Misurata port generating about $600 million annually, creating 8,400 direct jobs, and supporting nearly 60,000 indirect jobs. The expansion of Misurata port is Libya’s first major PPP infrastructure investment outside the oil sector since 2011. Though the World Bank estimates a stellar 13.3% GDP growth in 2025, Libya remains heavily reliant on hydrocarbons, making it vulnerable to global shocks.
Source:Libya Today
February 17, 2026 09:19 UTC
LFB recovering funds in several locations secretly to protect the funds and process: LFB Chairman Addarrat
The Chairman of the Libyan Foreign Bank (LFB), Mohamed Ali Addarrat, affirmed that “protecting its assets and recovering its receivables abroad has been among the bank’s top priorities in recent years.”He claimed that “significant efforts have been made, resulting in the recovery of funds in several locations, while maintaining full confidentiality of the procedures to ensure their integrity and protect the funds under investigation.”In an exclusive interview published by the Arabic language Arabi21.com last Sunday (15 February), on the sidelines of a visit to Istanbul last week, Addarrat stated that “the issue of recovering funds is characterized by legal complexity and international entanglements. It includes looted funds subject to specific legal processes, funds frozen under international resolutions, as well as debts and investments dating back to previous periods.”In a related context, Addarrat emphasized that “any progress in the asset recovery process must be accompanied by a clear vision for reconstruction, as it is not merely about construction projects, but rather a comprehensive rebuilding of the economy.” He pointed out that “Libya has long suffered from a lack of genuine investment in infrastructure, which has led to the deterioration of vital sectors that directly impact the lives of citizens.”
Source:Libya Herald
February 17, 2026 08:59 UTC
Libya: 15 years after the anti-Gaddafi uprising, the country remains divided.
"The middle class has been virtually erased in Libya over the past 15 years, and I would say especially in recent months. Those who participated in the revolution and who suffered the most over these 15 years are increasingly less inclined to reflect on that date." Claudia Gazzini, senior analyst at the International Crisis Group (ICG), underlines "Nova Agency" How dates have historically served as a tool for political legitimacy in Libya. "It's only natural that February 17th, the date the 2011 uprising began, is also maintained as a symbolic moment," observes Gazzini. In a country lacking shared monuments and an institutional re-elaboration of recent history, the analyst states, "dates remain the only symbolic embodiment of the revolution."
Source:Libya Today
February 17, 2026 07:03 UTC
Ministry of Industry exploring establishing two-million-ton annual capacity “environmentally friendly” cement plant with China’s Goodwill Ceramic
Discussions focused on developing a regulatory framework to ensure the project aligns with national plans for industrial sector development and explored ways to overcome administrative obstacles to implementing this strategic investment. Localizing basic industries and enhancing national production capacitiesFor his part, the Undersecretary emphasized during the meeting the Ministry’s full commitment to supporting industrial projects that contribute to localizing basic industries and enhancing national production capacities. He considered such projects a cornerstone for supporting reconstruction projects and achieving self-sufficiency. Complete readiness to fulfil all procedural requirementsAt the conclusion of the meeting, the company representatives expressed their complete readiness to fulfil all procedural requirements in coordination with the relevant authorities. They affirmed their commitment to implementing the project within the established timeframes and legal frameworks in Libya.
Source:Libya Herald
February 16, 2026 15:10 UTC