Forces in Zawiya in western Libya on Wednesday released more than 100 captives taken from Khalifa Haftar’s eastern-based Libyan National Army (LNA) to solidify a months-long ceasefire and moves towards national unity.
The men had been held since April 2019 when Haftar launched an assault to seize control of the capital, Tripoli, and other areas in the northwest, ending with his retreat last summer.
On Wednesday, March 31, 2021, NOC’s Chairman of the Board of Directors, Mustafa Sanalla, received the Vice President of the National Unity Government, Ramadan Ahmed Boujnah, accompanied by Khaled Al-Mabrouk Abdullah, Minister of Finance, Counselor Yusef Al-Hamali and his accompanying delegation.
During the meeting, the challenges and difficulties facing the oil sector were discussed, and the losses incurred by the sector as a result of the instability of the security situation were mentioned, as Sanalla stressed that the oil sector needs the necessary support to pay the obligations of service companies and the need to release the budgets required to accelerate the work Maintenance of damaged pipelines and tanks as a result of previous wars and repeated closures in oil ports that the oil sector exposed to previously.
Many topics were also dealt with, the most important of which was the discussion of developing the explored parts in the southern regions and how to put them on production in the possible way, discussing the fuel crisis and effective solutions to deliver fuel to our people in the south, in addition to discussing the refinery project, and the establishment of a cooking gas extraction plant in the Sharara field in order to provide and meet the citizens’ needs for gas.
The Vice President of the National Unity Government also listened to NOC’s plan to establish an oil clinic in the south.
Ramadan Boujnah and Khaled Al-Mabrouk Abdullah stressed the need to overcome all difficulties in order to support the oil sector, work to facilitate procedures and allocate the required budgets that the National Oil Corporation needs, as well as emphasize the importance of the sector in increasing national income and stimulating the private sector associated with oil operations and its contribution to creating job opportunities to reduce the unemployment rate throughout the country.
Libya’s first oil minister since 2014, Mohamed Oun, said in an interview with Bloomberg that Libya’s energy industry is on track to get enough money from the government for the OPEC member to sustain its crude production throughout the year.
“There is a reasonable allotment of funds for oil-sector activities,” Mohamed Oun said during the interview, adding: “We believe it may suffice for the remaining 10 months of 2021.”
The deputy head of the Presidential Council, Abdullah Al-Lafi, held a meeting with the Chinese ambassador to Libya, Li Zhiguo, in which they discussed China’s willingness to reopen its embassy in Tripoli and start working from inside the country so that there can be more cooperation between both sides.
During the meeting, the Chinese ambassador stressed his country’s readiness to support Libya’s economy and help in reconstruction projects, while Al-Lafi reiterated the importance of reopening Beijing’s embassy and providing visas to Libyans.
The two sides also discussed issues of joint interest in economic and technical fields, especially in telecommunications and electricity.
The Head of the High Council of State (HCS), Khalid Al-Mishri, held discussions on Tuesday with officials from the Audit Bureau over the proposed budget project from the Government of National Unity (GNU).
The media office of HCS stated that the discussions were intended to make notes and observations on the general budget and to refer them to the Presidential Council (PC).
Head of the Libyan Presidential Council (PC), Mohamed Al-Mnifi and his two deputies, Abdullah Al-Lafi and Mousa Al-Koni discussed the establishment of a commission for national reconciliation, during a consultative meeting that took place on Monday.
During the meeting, they stressed the importance of expediting the commission’s formation to lay the groundwork needed for comprehensive national reconciliation after years of division and fragmentation in the country.
The members of the PC also agreed that achieving national reconciliation between all Libyans is a top priority on the road to holding national elections in December later this year.
On Tuesday, Italian Foreign Minister Luigi Di Maio revealed that Rome will open a consulate in Benghazi, and an honorary consulate in the south.
He talked about his visit to Libya in recent days with his French and German counterparts, describing it as a great sign of European unity.
“We are revitalizing a series of economic opportunities for Italian companies that were not able to stay in Libya, but can now help rebuild the country,” Di Maio said.
A ceremony for the unification of the Airports Authority was held on Tuesday in Benghazi.
Head of the Authority of the eastern-based Interim Government, Saleh Shtewi handed over the authority to Mohamed Bait Al-Maal.
This came as part of a visit by the Minister of Transportation, Mohamed Al-Shahoubi and his accompanying delegation to Benghazi.
The Minister of Planning, Fakher Boufrana, met on Monday, at the ministry’s HQ in Tripoli with the Italian ambassador to Libya, Giuseppe Buccino, stressing the depth of the Libyan-Italian relations.
During the meeting, Buccino expressed his country’s desire for the return of Italian companies and the activation of the Libyan-Italian friendship treaty, as well as the implementation of the coastal road project.
France has reopened its embassy in Libya after a seven-year closure as insecurity swept the country following its 2011 revolution, in another sign of a gradual return of stability.
Its representative resumed operations behind a tall compound wall in a new building on the outskirts of Tripoli.
French President Emmanuel Macron announced the reopening last week after talks in Paris with the head of Libya’s newly installed presidential council, Mohammed Al-Manfi.