During a televised interview for Libyan WTV channel and Tabadul Platform, the GNA’s former Economy Minister, Ali Al-Issawi, said his term as the Minister of Economy and the period of tenure of ministerial portfolio was really at a difficult juncture; at that time, there have been an aggression on Tripoli, a tough inflation, as well as a cash-flow crunch.
According to Al-Issawi, the level of inflation in 2017 stood at 26 per cent, and reached 28 per cent until the middle of 2018. However, levels of inflation fell to 14 per cent at the end of 2018. “In 2019, the level of inflation reached 2.2%.” Al-Issawi stressed.
“The Ministry has been switched off, and other parties have been exercising the Ministry’s prerogatives.” Al-Issawi said.
According to Al-Issawi, during his tenure, they have begun to address the liquidity crisis, and the level of inflation has started to decrease as no major crisis has occurred even during the war. “This was only thanks to the support of economic reforms that have been advocated and signed by the state concerned parties.
As far as Libya’s fuel subsidies is concerned, Al-Issawi expressed his dissent to the progressive removal of fuel subsidies, pointing out that this choice requires 4-year government stability in order to set up a long term schedule and gradually remove fuel subsidies (over four years).
“A decisive decision should be taken, especially as we are in a transitional period and difficult circumstances.” He indicated.
Concerning his exemption from his duties, Al-Issawi pointed out that Al-Serraj did not mention any particular reason for his removal.
The Governor of the Central Bank of Libya, Saddiq Al-Kabeer met with the Turkish Minister of Finance and Treasury, Berat Albayrak, in Istanbul on Friday.
In a separate meeting, Al-Kabeer also met with his Turkish counterpart, Murat Uysal.
Both meetings discussed ways of boosting cooperation between the two countries in addition to other issues of common interest.
The committee in charge of monitoring citizens stranded abroad has decided to begin an internal quarantine program in a number of cities, including Tripoli and Misrata.
The committee confirmed in a statement that June 30, will be the last day for quarantine abroad.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced the arrival of the first two flights to Mitiga International Airport, arriving from Alexandria Airport in Egypt, carrying 200 passengers. The Libyan delegation in Cairo announced on Thursday, the start of the process of returning stranded citizens from Egypt, with two flights scheduled daily.
The US said Friday it has held discussions with the UN-recognized government in Libya regarding the demobilization of its militias.
The discussions were held with representatives from the the Government of National Accord’s Interior Ministry, and the State Department said the body “briefed the U.S. side on its efforts to promote security and a program for militia disarmament, demobilization, and reintegration (DDR), as well as ongoing work to neutralize unexploded ordnance in the Tripoli region.”
Malta on Friday thanked Turkey and Libya for their cooperation against irregular migration and human trafficking.
“I want to thank the government of Fayez al-Serraj in Libya who, despite all the war worries they have and the Covid-19 pandemic, and with very limited means, have managed to stop human traffickers from sending 2,000 immigrants to our country,” Foreign Minister Evarist Bartolo said on Facebook.
“We would also like to thank the Turkish government for helping to open a new page with the Serraj government in Tripoli.”
Bartolo noted that in the recent weeks, the Libyan government had also taken serious action against human traffickers who made millions of euros every year from immigrants they send towards Malta and Italy through the Central Mediterranean Sea.
Bartolo said they needed to continue helping Libya and protecting the North African country’s land and coastal borders, as well as fight against human trafficking and establish more decent centers for migrants.
There should be more cooperation between the EU and African countries to offer a better future for people who risk their lives by trying to cross the Sahara Desert and Mediterranean Sea to reach Europe, he said.
In its further efforts to curb the COVID-19 pandemic, the UN-backed Libyan government on Wednesday extended the country’s 8pm to 6am curfew for another 10 days starting from June, 27.
Moreover, a 24-hour curfew will be imposed every Friday and Saturday.
The Tripoli government also stressed that a total curfew in the southern region and a ban on travel between cities will be implemented as well.
Mosques and malls, in addition to other stores that do not provide essential services, such as clothing, shoes, cafes, and restaurants will remain closed, as well as all religious, national, and social gatherings and events, according to the new order.
National Oil Corporation (NOC) said it is deeply concerned by the presence of Russian and other foreign mercenaries inside Sharara oilfield after a convoy of vehicles entered the field on the evening of Thursday June 25, 2020 and met with representatives of the Petroleum Facilities Guard (PFG).
NOC chairman Mustafa Sanalla commented: “Libya’s oil is for the Libyan people, and I completely reject attempts by foreign countries to prevent the resumption of oil production.”
“We need patriotic, professional, and independent security forces who will facilitate the resumption of oil production for the benefit of all the Libyan people, with revenues allocated fairly and transparently across the whole of Libya.” Sanalla added.
During the latest correspondence sent to Libya’s Presidential Council, the Libyan Audit bureau did not only cover the negligence and deficiencies in operating power stations, but also the misdirection of resources, which had negatively affected the production, causing the loss of more than 2,700 megawatts.
According to the Libyan Audit Bureau, the report highlighted the negligence of repairs and regular maintenance, in addition to the delay in the scheduled maintenance for several years despite the availability of spare parts.
In its correspondence, the Libyan Audit Bureau recommended that an urgent meeting at GECOL general assembly should be held in order to take action on violations in this regard.
It should be noted that the Audit Bureau head accused GECOL of serious mismanagement that has contributed to Libya’s chronic electricity shortage. He specifically accused it of wasting LD 3 bn in new construction contracts for new power stations of which he said not even one percent had been implemented.
He said GECOL insisted on signing new electricity generation contracts instead of following the report that recommended spending money on maintenance of existing power plants. Spending money on maintenance would have been much more cost efficient, he said, and insisted this is still the case now.
Shakshak said that with better power plant maintenance and better management GECOL could have generated another 2,000 MW of power to take Libya’s generation from 5,000 MW to 7,000 MW. This would have made up much of the power generation deficit that has continued to cause acute power cuts often of 6,8 and 12 hours per day.
