NOC Chairman: US can make decisive difference in Libya's oil blockade predicament
The Chairman of the National Oil Corporation (NOC) Mustafa Sanallah said the US has the power to make a decisive difference in Libya, and its leadership understands the humanitarian impact the blockade is having on ordinary people. “We are all agreed on the need to reach a sustainable solution so that what we face today can never happen again.” Sanallah said in a meeting the US Assistant Secretary of State David Schenker and Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for the Office of International Affairs at the Energy Department Matthew Zais. He also met with senior US officials in Washington DC on last Monday and Tuesday to discuss the humanitarian and financial consequences of the continuing blockade of Libyan oil production. The NOC announced last Thursday that the losses of the oil blockade had reached 437 billion dollars as the Libyan oil production fell to 163.000 barrels per day.
Source:Libya Today
February 15, 2020 19:07 UTC
Al-Sarraj: It's a mess to talk about negotiations without a permanent ceasefire in Libya
The Head of the Libyan Presidential Council Fayez Al-Sarraj said in a televised statement on Saturday that without a permanent ceasefire in Libya, any talks about the rest of tracks outlined by Berlin conference would be a mess as "no negotiations will make sense under the airstrikes and bloodshed." He added that the ceasefire means that all IDPs can return home and all military operations are stopped with assurances that the capital or any other cities won't be a target in the future. "The ceasefire violations increased since the recent UN Security Council resolution. The attacks on civilians in Tripoli haven't ceased since." The Head of Presidential Council also considered the oil blockade as something that would lead to a disaster, saying deficits could reach state employees' salaries and fuel subsidies.
Source:Libya Observer
February 15, 2020 18:56 UTC
Turkey's Foreign Minister: Haftar doesn't want political solutions in Libya
The Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said Saturday that Khalifa Haftar doesn't want political solutions but military ones to end the Libyan crisis. In a press conference in Munich, in the presence of German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas, Cavusoglu accused Haftar of violating the ceasefire constantly since January 12, saying Haftar should be stopped so a political solution can be reached, according to Reuters. Maas said in a separate presser that the European Union was ready to help implement the ceasefire in Libya at the request of Libyan conflict parties and the UN. The German Foreign Minister met his US counterpart Mike Pompeo in Munich as well, as both agreed to support the efforts for consolidating the ceasefire in Libya and the return to political process as well as the halt of foreign intervention. Pompeo said the US supports the sovereignty of Libya and together with Germany, it aims to work against any destabilizing acts in the region, according to a US State Department Spokeswoman statement.
Source:Libya Observer
February 15, 2020 18:22 UTC
Turkish, US Presidents Discuss Syrias Idlib, Libya During Phone Conversation
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has discussed the situation in the Syrian province of Idlib and the crisis in Libya in phone talks with US President Donald Trump, his administration said on SaturdayANKARA (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 15th February, 2020) Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has discussed the situation in the Syrian province of Idlib and the crisis in Libya in phone talks with US President Donald Trump, his administration said on Saturday,"Today, our president had a phone negotiations with his US counterpart, Donald Trump. During the conversation, the sides agreed that the attacks of the Syrian troops in the Idlib region are unacceptable, and exchanged opinions on how to end this crisis. The sides also stressed the importance of securing stability in Libya," Erdogan's administration said in a statement. The leaders are also said to have agreed on relaunching talks on boosting bilateral trade up to $100 billion.
Source:Libya Today
February 15, 2020 16:41 UTC
Asharq Al-Awsat: Russia recruiting Syrians to fight with Haftar
The London-based Asharq Al-Awsat newspaper quoted Syrian sources on Friday as saying that Russia had started recruiting Syrians, some of whom are known to belong to the Syrian "Friends of Russia" organization, in order to fight in Libya alongside Haftar's militias attacking the capital. According to the newspaper, Russia has asked about 50 Syrian youths from Duma and Eastern Ghouta regions to fight in Libya for $ 800 per month, on a three-month combat mission. The recruits would also be exempted from compulsory service in the Syrian army, and the security prosecution by the Syrian regime, according to the newspaper.
Source:Libya Observer
February 15, 2020 13:39 UTC
UN mine action service warns of the growing danger of mine problem in Libya
The United Nations mine action service has warned that the continuing hostilities in Libya would further aggravate the mines and explosives problem and threaten the lives of citizens. An official at the United Nations mine action service said that Libya has the largest stockpile of uncontrolled weapons in the world, which is estimated at 150,000-200,000 tons across the country. The spending on ammunition has increased in Libya, which necessarily means an increase in the threat posed by landmines and explosive remnants of war, according to the UN official.
Source:Libya Observer
February 15, 2020 13:30 UTC
France reiterates support for Libya's NOC
The head of the National Oil Corporation (NOC), Mustafa Sanallah, has agreed with French officials on the importance of preserving the unity and independence of the NOC and ending the closure of oil installations. This came during a meeting between Sanallah and the head of North Africa and the Middle East department at the French foreign ministry, Christophe Farnaud, on Friday, in Paris. The two parties discussed the current situation and the dangerous consequences of the closure of oil and gas installations and their permanent repercussions on the volume of production.
Source:Libya Observer
February 15, 2020 09:00 UTC
Foreign ministry calls on UN to hold violators of the ceasefire accountable
The Foreign Ministry condemned the bombing conducted by Haftar's militia against residential neighbourhoods in Tripoli and its failure to comply with the armistice agreed between the two parties. "The international community should hold those responsible for violating the ceasefire to account," the foreign ministry said in its statement. Foreign Minister Mohamed Siyala welcomed the UN Security Council resolution issued on Wednesday in which it called after ten months of aggression for a permanent ceasefire, to replace the existing armistice. Siyala stressed that what is most important is that the ceasefire decision adopted would be implemented.
Source:Libya Observer
February 15, 2020 08:48 UTC
Firefight between Haftar's militias leave several injured in Benghazi
Several people were wounded when a firefight broke out with light and medium weapons between two groups of Haftar's militias in "Alkeish" square in Benghazi on Friday, local sources have reported. Several of Haftar's supporters gathered in the square to celebrate the start of the so-called Dignity Operation that was declared by Khalifa Haftar six years ago. Pro-Haftar's TV channels cut the broadcasting immediately as the people fled the place in a state of panic. The firefight was reported to be between the so-called criminal investigation department and an armed group headed by Faraj Qaeem also affiliated to Haftar's forces.
Source:Libya Observer
February 15, 2020 08:37 UTC
Oil demand hit by coronavirus, agency says
Global oil demand will drop this quarter for the first time in over a decade as the coronavirus batters China's economy, the International Energy Agency said. The new estimates show that oil markets face a significant surplus despite the latest production cuts by OPEC and its partners. Crude already sank to a one-year low below $50 a barrel last week, and the impact of the epidemic will be felt throughout the year, the agency said. "Demand has been hit hard by the novel coronavirus and the widespread shutdown of China's economy," the Paris-based IEA said. Given the abundance of supply, disruptions in OPEC members such as Libya and Nigeria are having little impact on prices, the agency said.
Source:Libya Today
February 14, 2020 22:52 UTC
World defence spending spikes as rivalries heat up
MUNICH: Global defence spending saw its biggest jump in a decade in 2019, driven by the US and China, a study said Friday, as rivalries and conflicts stoke military investment. Beijing’s military modernisation programme – which includes developing new hard-to-detect hypersonic missiles – is alarming Washington and helping drive US defence spending, the IISS said. Its annual “Military Balance” report said the increase alone in US spending from 2018 to 2019 – US$53.4 billion – was almost as big as Britain’s entire defence budget. Both the US and China increased spending by 6.6%, the report said, to US$684.6 billion and US$181.1 billion respectively. Europe – driven by ongoing concerns about Russia – stepped up by 4.2%, but this only brought the continent’s defence spending back to 2008 levels, before the global financial crisis saw budgets slashed.
Source:Libya Today
February 14, 2020 16:41 UTC
Slavery and Human Trafficking in Libya
The establishment of militias and gangs across the country developed a network of human trafficking and illegal migration flows from sub-Saharan Africa to Europe. It also fosters trade in human cargo, in other words, slavery. Slavery and human trafficking in Libya have become a serious threat. Failing to ActThe slave trade in Libya was facilitated by the failure of international organizations and foreign countries. By tightening measures to contain migration from Libya, European countries have fueled the slave trade without providing a viable solution for thousands of African migrants stuck in Libya.
Source:Libya Today
February 14, 2020 15:33 UTC
Fri. 8:49 a.m.: EU officials push for bloc to enforce Libya arms embargo
BERLIN (AP) — European Union officials are seeking support from member states to have naval ships enforce the U.N. arms embargo against Libya, according to a confidential memo obtained today by The Associated Press. World powers agreed at a conference in Berlin last month to respect the arms embargo against Libya, but in practice weapons have continued to flow to the two warring factions. Since the 2011 ouster and subsequent death of dictator Moammar Gadhafi, Libya has sunk further into chaos and turmoil. The renewed clashes came just hours after the United Nations Security Council endorsed a 55-point road map for ending the war that demanded foreign backers of Libya’s warring sides uphold a widely flouted arms embargo. Hunko called for a civilian operation to oversee the arms embargo.
Source:Libya Today
February 14, 2020 13:41 UTC
Africa must solve its own problems
The African leaders pointed at the crisis in Libya where a full-scale civil war has rolled out, supported and funded by outside forces. But what came out strongly from the summit is that until Africans unite and learn to solve their own problems, peace and development will only be an illusion. All problems in Africa should be resolved by Africans and the continent has the means to solve her problems through the AU, using social, political and economic strategies. AU Standby Brigade should be deployed in all hotspots and solve the problems. African problems for African elders.
Source:Libya Today
February 14, 2020 10:18 UTC
Macron’s Plan to End the Libyan Conflict Only Made Things Worse
BloombergBloomberg | Quint is a multiplatform, Indian business and financial news company. We combine Bloomberg’s global leadership in business and financial news and data, with Quintillion Media’s deep expertise in the Indian market and digital news delivery, to provide high quality business news, insights and trends for India’s sophisticated audiences.
Source:Libya Today
February 14, 2020 07:07 UTC