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Germany, France and Italy call for immediate cease-fire in Libya

Germany, France and Italy have called on conflicting parties in Libya to “immediately” and “unconditionally” cease fighting and engage in talks for a sustainable and credible cease-fire agreement.

“In light of the growing risks of a deterioration of the situation in Libya and regional escalation, France, Germany and Italy call on all Libyan parties to immediately and unconditionally cease fighting and to suspend the ongoing military build-up throughout the country,” they stressed.

IMF projects 4.9% economic contraction as concerns mount over second wave

The International Monetary Fund further downgraded expectations for the global economy in 2020 and 2021, projecting negative growth for all regions of the world for the first time in the history of its forecasts.

The IMF on Wednesday released an update of its World Economic Outlook, in which it projected the global economy contracting by 4.9% in 2020, a downward revision from its April forecast of a 3% contraction. A -4.9% print on global output is now the worst in the WEO’s history.

GECOL announces start of maintenance work in Ain Zara

The General Electric Company of Libya (GECOL) confirmed that the third and forth units of Ubari Gas Station are out of service as a result of cutting feeding lines, adding that it started the maintenance of these damaged power transmission lines.

 On the other hand, GECOL stressed that its maintenance teams have completed repairing the malfunction of the power station that was damaged in Al Tekbali Military Camp in Ain Zara.

GECOL also said it will make sustained efforts in order to return electricity to Ain Zara.

Covid-19 confirmed cases in Libya hit 670

The number of COVID-19 infections in Libya has risen to 670, with 514 active cases.

The National Center for Disease Control (NCDC) recorded Wednesday 31 new cases distributed as following:

  • Tripoli: 8 cases
  • Misrata: 6 cases
  • Sabha: 5 cases
  • Bayda: 5 cases
  • Tandamira: 2 cases
  • Ben Jawad: 5 cases

NCDC also confirmed the recovery of 6 patients, raising the number of recoveries to 138. The death toll of Covid-19 has risen to 18 after the registration of one death in Sabha.

In the same vein, Sabha Medical Center said on Wednesday that the center performed a Cesarean Section delivery for a woman infected with the Coronavirus.

He added that this case is the second of its kind in Sabha, with surgery being performed, despite the patients being infected with the virus.

Libya’s Oil Recovery Will Be Slow, Even If War Stops- Bloomberg

Libya’s oil industry is crumbling after more than nine years of neglected maintenance amid a civil war, stated Bloomberg.

The lack of basic, nuts-and-bolts servicing has left pipelines corroding and storage tanks collapsing. Remedial work at wells alone could cost more than $100 million, the head of the state-run National Oil Corporation told Bloomberg, and that’s money the government can ill afford.

The damage means that Libya, despite having Africa’s largest crude reserves, will struggle to ramp up production quickly even if the conflict abates soon.

“The longer we wait, the greater the damage and the higher the cost,” NOC Chairman Mustafa Sanalla said in a written response to questions. “It is a tragedy for the people of Libya that political game-playing has been allowed to cause such damage to our country’s critical national infrastructure.”

Ambitions for Turkey in Libya Are Growing

Last week, senior Turkish officials — including Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu and Treasury and Finance Minister Berat Albayrak — met Prime Minister Fayez al-Sarraj to discuss more cooperation on security, investment, infrastructure and oil, according to a report published by Bloomberg.

Among other things, Turkish advisers are expected to help rebuild the Libyan banking system, Turkish companies will help in energy exploration, and Turkish ships will get Libyan oil to global markets.

One motivating factor in Erdogan’s backing of the GNA was the resumption of construction projects worth about $18 billion. Libya is also key to Turkey’s claims in the Eastern Mediterranean, where it hopes to become a significant energy player. 

A rebound in stocks — enabled by lower interest rates and measures to defend the lira — looks fragile. Such conditions are hardly ideal for embarking on a nation-building project in a country as damaged as Libya.

Oil Prices Down 6%

Oil markets slumped nearly 6% on Wednesday after weekly data from the U.S. government showed drillers in America’s shale fields adding to production for the first time since March as crude prices averaged $40 a barrel.

U.S. crude output was estimated at 11 million barrels per day for the week ended June 19, versus the estimate of 10.5 million bpd the previous week, data from the Energy Information Administration showed.

New York-traded West Texas Intermediate, the benchmark for U.S. crude futures, settled down $2.36, or 5.8%, at $38.01 per barrel.

Al-Senussi Al-Haliq: Al-kabir is one of the root causes of corruption in Libya

In a televised interview for Libyan WTV channel and Tabadul Platform, Al-Senussi Al-Haliq, deputy chairman of Libya’s Supreme Council of Tribes and Libyan Cities for Gas and Oil, denied his sole responsibility in blocking oil production in the country, explaining that the Libyan people and all other memebers of the Council of Tribes had a significant role in shutting libya’s oil production.

“The Libyan people, Libya’s Tribes, chieftains and Notables, not only in the eastern and south-eastern regions, but also in southern and southwestern regions have the final say.” he stressed.

Al-Senussi claimed that there are several reasons for the closure of oil production, among which are those who own the country’s oil revenues, such as the Central Bank of Libya and the National Oil Corporation.

“Oil is the cause of all our misfortunes,” he said, adding the country’s oil is the reason to bring mercenaries and  Janissaries. “It is also intended for destroying Libya.

“As far as the army is concerned, its only task has been to secure the oil installations, and not to block oil facilities.” Al-Senussi Al-Haliq said.

Al-Haliq highlighted his opposition to the war, explaining that all the funds should go to the Government of National Accord (GNA).

For instance, he said that Tobruk-based Libyan National Army (LNA) has got absolutely nothing, not even salaies.

” I consider that corruption exists even in the eastern region, and it is like a disease that has existed since 2011.” Al-Haliq said, declaring his support for the Libyan army that -according to him- represents youth in each region in Libya.

He also criticized the governor of the Central Bank of Libya (CBL) Sadiq al–Kabir , considering him as one of the root causes of corruption.


Di Maio lands in Tripoli to meet with Serraj

Italian Foreign Minister Luigi Di Maio visited Tripoli on Wednesday to meet Prime Minister Fayez al-Serraj of Libya’s internationally recognised Government of National Accord (GNA), the GNA said in a statement.

They discussed foreign intervention in Libya, a European naval mission that enforces an arms embargo, Italian help with mine clearing in Tripoli, a blockade of oil exports by eastern Libyan forces and migration, the GNA said.

Libya reports 44 new coronavirus cases, 16 more recoveries

The National Center for Disease Control analyzed on Tuesday, June 23, 775 blood samples.

The center confirmed that 731 samples have tested negative, and 44 others tested positive.

The 44 new cases distributed as following:

  • Sabha: 4 cases
  • Tripoli: 9 cases
  • Ben Jawad: 4 cases
  • Misrata: 6 cases
  • Abyar: 10 cases
  • Ajdabiya: 10 cases
  • Benghazi: 1 case

NCDC also confirmed the recovery of 16 patients, raising the number of recoveries to 132. The death toll of Covid-19 has risen to 17 after the registration of 3 new deaths in Sabha and 1 in Tripoli.

The number of COVID-19 infections in Libya has risen to 639, with 490 active cases.

No photo description available.
No photo description available.