Libya’s National Oil Corporation (NOC) said that Italy-flagged tanker VALLE DI SIVIGLIA arrived at Brega this morning to export condensates to free up storage in order to alleviate the electricity crisis.
Gas production was slated to stop in the east on 22 Aug due to maxed out storage.
This should allow the NOC to continue supplying Benghazi and Zueitina power plants with around 160 mn Cubic Feet Per Day.
It is only the second time Libya ‘exports’ from the east in 8 months.
“The rights to peaceful assembly, protest and freedom of expression are fundamental human rights and fall within Libya’s obligations under international human rights law.” The United Nations Support Mission In Libya (UNSMIL) said.
It called for an immediate and thorough investigation into the excessive use of force by pro-GNA security personnel in Tripoli yesterday which resulted in the injury of a number of protesters.
These demonstrations were motivated by frustrations about sustained poor living conditions, shortages of electricity and water and a lack of service provision throughout the country.
“Given the continuing immiseration of the Libyan people and the ever-present threat of renewed conflict, it is past time for Libyan leaders to put aside their differences and engage in a fully inclusive political dialogue as outlined by GNA President Sarraj and House of Representatives Speaker Saleh in their declarations last week.”
Hundreds of people in Libya held peaceful demonstrations Sunday to protest worsening living conditions and corruption at state institutions.
The demonstrators, who gathered in Martyrs’ Square in the capital Tripoli and the northwestern city of Misrata, also protested electricity and water cuts in the country.
Some of the protestors were injured in shootings as security forces were dispersing the demonstrators, among which some groups damaged vehicles in the area.
Amin al-Hashemi, undersecretary of the Libyan Health Ministry, told Anadolu Agency that the demonstrators gathered for legitimate demands and peaceful protests, but some groups abused the purpose of the gathering.
“The people held peaceful protests for their legitimate demands, but later on, some violence-prone groups attacked civilian and police vehicles and public buildings, committing damaging acts. So the police intervened to disperse these groups,” he said.
Al-Hashemi also underlined that some people were injured from gunfire during the demonstrations and that information about their numbers and identities has not yet been obtained.
In all cities of Libya, especially Tripoli, people are struggling with problems that negatively affect daily life such as power outages of up to 20 hours per day, long fuel lines and the increased cost of living with internal migration.
The Interior Ministry announced that those who opened fire on the demonstrators in Tripoli were not among the police forces and that this action was carried out by outside elements who had infiltrated the security forces, adding an investigation has been launched.
“As a result of a follow-up [probe], the security forces determined the identities of these people who opened fire on the demonstrators. They are not subject to any security forces affiliated with the Interior Ministry, and the ministry has initiated a judicial investigation into the incident. The results will be shared with the public with the attorney general’s approval and after the investigation is completed,” it said in a statement.
The ministry also said that one person was injured as a result of the firing on protestors.
The Secretary-General of the United Nations, Antonio Guterres, welcomed the announcement of a ceasefire agreement by Fayez Al-Sarraj and Aquila Saleh, which took place in two ‘simultaneous’ statements, both of which included agreements on common issues.
Guterres expressed his aspiration that ‘the armed forces’ on both sides, would respect the call for an immediate ceasefire.
He also welcomed the call to cease the blockade on oil production, imploring all parties to engage constructively in an in-depth political process.
Libya’s National Center for Disease Control announced the registration of 572 new coronavirus infections during the past 24 hours, from a total of 2,101 tests.
The center indicated that there also 11 deaths recorded and 11 recoveries.
This brings the total number of infections in Libya to 11,009 cases, of which 9,714 are active, 1,096 recoveries and 199 deaths, since March.
Armed men fired in the air to disperse several hundred protesters demonstrating over living conditions and against the government in the Libyan capital, Tripoli, on Sunday
Protesters marched to the headquarters of the Government of National Accord (GNA) to voice anger over what they called a “slow death” due to collapsing public services, corruption and economic pressures, before heading to central Tripoli’s Martyrs Square, where they were scattered by gunfire.
The area was later closed off amid heavy security. The Interior Ministry blamed “infiltrators” for violence against peaceful protesters that left one person injured, and said it was investigating.
The protest came two days after GNA Prime Minister Fayez al-Sarraj announced a ceasefire in Libya’s long-running conflict and called for the lifting of an oil blockade by rival authorities based in the east of the country.
During “Flusna”, a television program broadcasted on WTV channel and Tabadul Platform, the Libyan Ambassador to Italy, Omar Al-Tarhouni, said that there have been efforts to activate the prisoner exchange agreement since 2019, based on the Libyan-Italian Friendship agreement.
Libyan Ambassador al-Tarhouni explained that it was a draft agreement on the exchange of prisoners, signed on June 19, 2019 at the Ministry of Justice in Rome, between the Director of Relations and Cooperation Department of the Libyan Ministry of Justice, and Director of the International Cooperation of the General Directorate of Criminal Justice of Italy.
He added that the agreement was supposed to be signed in its final form by the Ministers of Justice of both countries, but that had not been the case.
“Among the terms of the unfinished agreement is the exchange of those who are convicted, which would allow us to return all Libyan prisoners to complete their sentence in Libya.” the ambassador said.”
” As far as the Libyans accused in illegal immigration are concerned, there is a joint memorandum with the Italian authorities stipulating that no investigation should be opened with any Libyan citizen in this case without the presence of a representative from the embassy.” He added.
Al-Tarhouni confirmed that the embassy sent small sums of money to Libyan prisoners during the holidays and Ramadan.
Considering the developments of some immigration-related issues, the ambassador revealed that the embassy is seeking to release a Libyan young man and his family, consisting of his child and wife, explaining that the embassy is about to obtain his release in September.
Tarhouni also revealed developments regarding the case of a young Libyan who was sentenced to more than 20 years in prison, of which he spent 5 years in the Italian prisons.
“3 weeks ago, the lawyer submitted an appeal due to the presence of new facts, evidence and documents that may change the data during the upcoming session, in September 21.”
The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) is partnering with the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the World Bank and the Libyan Investment and Local Development Fund (LLIDF) to develop solar energy projects along the Libyan Man-Made River in Tripoli. The initiative aims to improve the supply of drinking water in Greater Tripoli.
An agreement has recently been concluded between the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) through its public finance management programme in Libya; the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL); the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the World Bank and the Libyan Investment and Local Development Fund (LLIDF). The partnership was signed with a view to facilitating the implementation of solar energy projects in Libya.
It involves the construction of small solar photovoltaic power plants along the Libyan man-made river in Greater Tripoli, the capital of Libya. The solar systems will supply electricity to the various water pumping stations located near the river. According to USAID, up to 70 percent of the population of this North African country consumes drinking water from the Libyan man-made river.
The Man-made River Authority said on Saturday that it expects the return of water supply to Tripoli this evening after a one-day delay due to power outages.
In an official notice, Libya’s National Oil Corporation (NOC) said Friday that the losses to the Libyan state, as a direct result of the illegal forced closures of its oil facilities, exceeded $8.7 billion, during a period of 217 days of forced shutdown of production in the oil industry.
It will be reminded that the (NOC) welcomed the statements of the Head of the Presidential Council, Fayaz Al-Sarraj, and the Speaker of Tobruk-based House of Representatives, on resumption of oil production.
