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Stephanie Williams negotiates political process in Libya

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In a phone call today, Acting SRSG Stephanie Williams reviewed with the President of the Presidency Council Fayez Serraj the latest developments in Libya, including his recent positive statement which calls on all parties and political actors to urgently resume the political dialogue under UNSMIL auspices.

Acting SRSG Williams highlighted that this initiative and other recently announced and similarly positive initiatives, constitute a momentum that must be built upon to end the fighting and resume a comprehensive political process.

Williams stressed UNSMIL’s readiness to resume the intra-Libyan political track based on the Berlin Conference Conclusions & UNSCR 2510 – in a virtual setup, if needed.

She renewed her call on all parties to the conflict in Libya to cease all military operations immediately and spare the Libyan people further suffering.

First wave of stranded Libyans arrives at Misrata International Airport

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The spokesman of the Libyan Airlines Muhammed Kniwa claimed that a flight carrying the first wave of Libyans stranded in Turkey arrived on Tuesday at the Misrata International Airport from Istanbul, with more than 300 citizens on board.

Libya has decided to evacuate its citizens in Turkey and other countries as a result of flight suspensions due to the coronavirus pandemic.   

It will be reminded that the Deputy Transportation Minister Hisham Abushkiwat claimed the first plane will depart on May 5 at 7 a.m. 

He said the evacuations will be carried out by Libyan Airlines and Afriqiyah Airways and planes will land at Misrata Airport located 200 kilometers (124 miles) south of the capital Tripoli. 

Abushkiwat said the evacuation process will also begin in Tunisia and Egypt, where most Libyan citizens remain. 

AGOCO discusses energy projects in a number of fields

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The Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Libyan Arabian Gulf Oil Company (AGOCO), Muhammad Ben Shatwan, discussed on Monday with the General Manager of Solar Company, Manoj Dutt, the energy projects implemented by the American company in a number of fields.

According to a statement posted by the company, Ben Shatwan said that AGOCO continues its activities in the fields and its affiliated locations, especially the important projects despite the crisis that is sweeping the world represented in Corona pandemic, adding that the company is keen to implement projects, especially those related to electrical energy and production, despite the conditions the world is going through today.

The American company, Solar, is expected to continue the implementation of electrical energy projects in the fields of al-Sarir, Misla, al-Bayda and al-Nafoura, and Ojela during the current period.

Dujarric supports a call by Al-Serraj to find a peaceful solution

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U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric said Sarraj’s message was the same message the U.N. has been pushing, stressing that he welcomes Al-Serraj’s call to find a peaceful solution to the present crisis in Libya.

“In a return to the U.N.-supported political discussions it’s important that all the parties involved, whether Libyan or those who have influence over those parties, move in the same direction and that is towards political talks,” he said.

“This is the message that we always urge and this is very important.” Dujarric added.

Al-Serraj calls for peaceful solution to conflict

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The head of Libya’s internationally recognized government Faiez Al-Serraj called on Tuesday for a renewal of U.N.-brokered talks to end divisions in the country amid increasing tensions in order to reach a comprehensive road map toward elections.

“The roadmap could include amending a landmark UN-brokered agreement to unite the country in 2015 and appoint a new government or agree on a plan for elections in the short term,” he said.

He stressed that the call comes at a time when the state is being divided and some individuals in state institutions are monopolizing decisions outside the scope of their authorities, thus worsening economic and financial conditions of Libyans, especially after the outbreak of Coronavirus and the ongoing offensive on Tripoli and other districts.

“This call comes as state institutions are increasingly divided, and some officials in these institutions have individually made decisions that exceeded their role and their authority,” Al-Serraj added.

Bensouda warns of war crimes in Libya

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The International Criminal Court’s chief prosecutor warned Tuesday of potential war crimes in Libya as renegade general Khalifa Haftar continues his push on Tripoli despite pleas that he cease the offensive.  

Bensouda, the ICC’s chief prosecutor, also raised the case of Seham Sergiwa, a leading Libyan rights campaigner and member of the country’s House of Representatives who went missing in Haftar-controlled territory in July.

She was abducted the night after publicly questioning Haftar’s push to seize Tripoli from the Libyan government. The Avengers of Blood, a militia allied to Haftar, is suspected of involvement in her disappearance.

Bensouda said that while Sergiwa’s “fate and whereabouts remain unknown,” her office has information that “may point to those responsible for Ms. Sergiwa’s disappearance.”

“Investigations to verify this information are continuing,” she said, without elaborating.

She also reported that arrest warrants for Al-Tuhamy Khaled in Cairo and Mahmoud Al-Werfalli, who is reported to be under the command of General Haftar, have yet to be executed.

The prosecutor said an increasing number of enforced disappearances are occurring with close to total impunity, reminding Council members that these are crimes against humanity that inflict “severe suffering” on families and can spread terror across all of society.

Libyan NCDC: Number of COVID-19 recovered cases rise to 24

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The Libyan National Center for Disease Control (NCDC) revealed that it had not recorded any new infections with the Coronavirus pandemic.

In its statement No. 58, NCDC said on Tuesday it received 168 samples for testing, and the results of the tests were all negative.

NCDC indicated that among the negative samples, there was a case that had been recovered, bringing the total number of those recovered to 24.

It is noteworthy that Libya had registered 63 cases of COVID-19.

Oil prices down with expectation of US crude build-up

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Crude oil prices were down on Wednesday with the expectation of another increase in US crude inventories.

International benchmark Brent crude was trading at $30.71 per barrel at 06:17 GMT for a 0.84% loss after it closed Tuesday at $30.97 a barrel.

American benchmark West Texas Intermediate (WTI) was at $24.24 a barrel at the same time for a 1.3% decline after ending the previous day at $24.56 per barrel.

Crude oil inventories in the US are expected to increase by 8.44 million barrels for the week ending May 1, according to the American Petroleum Institute’s (API) estimate on Tuesday.

NOC supports operations to fight the virus in 12 municipalities

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National Oil Corporation (NOC) delivered on Sunday May 3, 2020, numerous medical items to Sabratha, Batten El-Jabal, Brega, Nalut, Zintan, Zuara, Riqdalin, Jalo, Jikharra, Awjilah, Riyayna and Al Jmail municipalities. This is part of NOC’s Good Neighbour initiative to respond rapidly to the needs of municipalities adjacent to its operations.   

The medical supplies to help prevent the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, included: protective masks and coveralls, disinfectant spraying equipment, hand sanitizers, and other medical materials. Many of these items have come from NOC’s international partners. 

“The Libyan health sector is facing one of the biggest challenges ever. Therefore, we need support to be able to provide healthcare to whoever needs it. I think these medical supplies will help protect   doctors, nurses and patients in many hospitals against the coronavirus, so they can survive during these difficult times. I would like to thank NOC for its continuous support to the region,” said Dr Basema Soltan, Director General of Jalo emergency hospital.  

Al-Kabir: the request from the Presidential Council could drain on our resources

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The Governor of the Central Bank of Libya (CBL), Sadiq Al-Kabir, considered that the request from the Presidential Council (PC) regarding the reopening of the system of individuals’ allocations in foreign currency with providing an amount of $5,000 to be sold per person would result in a severe drain on the state’s resources, and may to impoverishment, especially under the present challenging financial circumstances in the country.

Al-Kabir also explained that the increase of exchange rate on the ‘black market’ is as a result of the distortion of economic structure, which needs radical solutions.

The Central Bank stressed that the establishment of the state of emergency came only to confront the Coronavirus, explaining that the Head of the Presidential Council had touched on other issues that have no use in supporting the state to confront the Coronavirus, including the demand for the distribution of salaries without adopting financial arrangements, and its request regarding the opening of the foreign exchange system in conjunction with the export of oil being stopped and its prices collapsing globally.

It will be reminded that the CBL Governor referred to the state of emergency law issued in 1955, which stipulates that emergency measures should be taken for a specific reason, and that the motive for declaring the state of emergency came as a foundation due to the Coronavirus epidemic, stressing that the bank has taken all decisions to assist the state in facing the epidemic, according to its jurisdiction.