The tally of patients who have tested positive for the coronavirus in Libya has Jumped to 15.156 as 532 more cases were detected over the past 24-hours, while deaths have increased by 8 cases to reach 250. Recoveries have reached 1746 cases.
In the same context, the Ministry of Health announced the arrival of a large shipment of medical supplies at Mitiga International Airport to assist in confronting the Coronavirus pandemic.
The Ministry explained that the shipment, which arrived on a plane for the air ambulance, carried a cargo which included Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) testing devices along with a number of nasal swab testing kits.
During a televised interview for Libyan WTV channel and Tabadul Platform, the economist Mohsen Drija said that the recent decisions taken by the Libyan Presidential Council (PC) including the resolution that aims to face unemployment in Libya came in response to demonstrations in order to appease public outrage.
“The dual exchange rate is a major cause of corruption… By creating an artificial price, you have created systematic corruption… 25 % of corruption will be eliminated through the unification of the exchange rate.” he said.
” Demonstrators have real demands, they protested the worsening living conditions, corruption at state institutions, shortages of electricity and fuel.” he added.
During a televised interview for Libyan WTV channel and Tabadul Platform, the founder of the Libyan Exchange Stock Market, Suliman Al-Shahomi, confirmed that there are three fundamental prerequisites that would serve the demands of the demonstrators, which are; Addressing the issues of the dual exchange rate, fuel subsidies and the transparency in the provision of letters of credit. These demands are addressed to the government as well as to the Central Bank.
“Corruption in Libya boils down to the local budgets or external transfers… Unifying the exchange rate is the best solution, whether for a government agency, or for the public and private sectors… Fuel subsidies are also sources of corruption.” Suliman Al-Shahomi said.
“We have a serious problem, which is corruption. It is a fundamental driver in the current equation… If we consider corruption at the top of the pyramid, then the deterioration of living standards and unemployment would be the base of the pyramid… Corruption is a fundamental engine in today’s equation, as a result of which demonstrations took place.” He added.
Al-Shohomi stressed that we Libya needs to change the mechanisms of work, given that the system is the one that opens the door to every corruption process. He also called for addressing the roots of corruption.
The deputy head of the Presidential Council, Ahmed Mitig, rejected Al-Sarraj’s decision on the restructuring of the Economic and Social Development Fund, stating that Al-Sarraj took the decision alone without other PC members’ approval.
The High Representative/Vice-President Josep Borrell visited Libya on Tuesday 1st September for the first time since the beginning of his mandate, continuing EU efforts to advance the political process and resume political dialogue to end the conflict in the country.
He met with the President of the House of Representatives Aguila Saleh in Al Qubah in eastern Libya.
In his meetings, Josep Borrell discussed the latest developments in the country, and conveyed EU’s strong and unwavering commitment to preserve Libya’s territorial integrity, sovereignty and national unity.
Borrell also discussed ways “to advance (the) political process”, revive joint military talks between the Libyan National Army and GNA and to lift an oil blockade imposed since January by pro-LNA groups demanding a fair share of hydrocarbon revenues.
Libya’s National Oil Corporation (NOC) Chairman Mustafa Sanalla met on Tuesday with Italy’s Foreign Minister Luigi Di Maio in Tripoli as they discussed the blockade of oil facilities in Libya, NOC said on its Facebook page.
NOC said Di Maio “affirmed his full support for the initiative proposed by the corporation to resume production and export of oil, and freeze its revenues in the corporation’s account in the Libyan Foreign Bank, in parallel with the launch of an economic path that ensures the achievement of financial transparency.”
The General Electricity Company of Libya (GECOL), announced on Tuesday a complete blackout in the central and southern regions as a direct result of the ‘under frequency relay, which led to power network splitting and the loss of a number of turbines from service.
GECOL explained in a statement that the split of the electrical grid resulted in the failure of both the central and southern region plants to generate power for several hours.
In a statement issued GECOL added that illegal groups stole 7500 meters of electrical wires.
The General Electricity Company of Libya GECOL urged again all security authorities and municipalities to secure the electrical grid, which is being subjected to a daily-acts of theft and sabotage, leading to power outages in some areas.
National Oil Corporation (NOC) chairman Mustafa Sanalla and the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell met on Tuesday to discuss the effects of illegal blockades on the national economy.
During the meeting, Sanalla commended the EU efforts to lift the blockade imposed on oil facilities since January to this date, and stressed the important role played by the EU in supporting NOC’s initiative to resume the production and export of the Libyan oil.
For his part, Borrell affirmed the EU’s full support for NOC’s initiative to resume production and export of oil and to freeze its revenues in NOC’s account in the Libyan Foreign Bank.
” This is in parallel with the launch of an economic path that ensures financial transparency, in addition to restoring security arrangements regarding the security of the corporation’s facilities and evacuating all oil sites from mercenaries and armed presence. The resumption of oil production is necessary in order to ensure a brighter future for all Libyans.” He said.
” The protests, the people’s demands are not extinguished, and nobody will ever be able to stop them.” the Libyan banker Noman Al-Bouri said during “Flusna”, a television programme broadcasted on WTV channel and Tabadul Platform.
Al-Bouri said that demonstrations are taking place at a very slow pace as a result of the arbitrary arrests of demonstrators as well as the use of force against them.
” Since Thursday, the Libyan Presidential Council (PC) has been carrying out a number of resolutions, one after another… As soon as the PC finishes his ceremonial series of resolutions, the people will hold demonstrations again after making sure that their demands are not met.” Al-Bouri added.
” I don’t think that the PC does not realize what the people want through their demonstrations.” The expert in banking matters pointed out, adding that demonstrations were motivated by frustrations about shortages of electricity, the lack of liquidity, the unification of the dual exchange rate as well as the consolidation of the state institutions.
” Counsellors at the Libyan Presidential Council have no intention of giving effect to these resolutions and implementing radical solutions because this would cut off their sources of funding.” He added.
Al-Buri referred to the exchange rate issue, considering it a solution for 60 to 70 percent of the people. He also said that 60% of the widespread corruption is because of the distorted exchange rates and the issue of subsidies.
