Skip to main content

Author: LS

UNSMIL: A meeting to unify financial and economic policy and institutions

Written by LS on . Posted in News. No Comments on UNSMIL: A meeting to unify financial and economic policy and institutions

 UNSMIL convened yesterday a meeting of 19 Libyan economic experts representing the main Libyan financial and economic institutions as well as the different economic sectors.

The experts, who took part in the meeting, were selected based on their capacity to represent interests from across the Libyan political and geographic spectrum.

As they agreed that the Libyan economy was under duress due to the institutional fragmentation caused by the conflict and that this was having an increasingly detrimental impact on the daily lives of Libyans.

It was also admitted that any comprehensive political settlement would require a mechanism to unify financial and economic policy and institutions too.

The participants discussed a proposal to establish a Libyan Expert Economic Commission (LEEC). This proposal was initially developed for the National Dialogue and has now was introduced in the Berlin process.  Participants provided input on the prospective Terms of Reference of the LEEC including ideas of its purpose and structure.

UNICEF: over 115,000 children are deprived from their education in Libya

Written by LS on . Posted in News. No Comments on UNICEF: over 115,000 children are deprived from their education in Libya

َQuoting UNICEF, the recent escalation of violence in and around Tripoli took a devastating toll on children’s education, with five schools destroyed and 210 schools shuttered, pushing over 115, 000 children out of school in the Ain-Zara, Abu Salim and Soug al Juma’aa areas.

On 3 January, four schools came under attack in the Soug al Jum’aa locality, east of Tripoli, causing extensive damage and affecting nearly 3,000 students.

Recent attacks on educational facilities and overall insecurity in and around Tripoli are putting children’s lives on the line just by going to school each day. No parent should ever have to choose between their children’s education or their safety. Rather than safe places to learn and to grow, schools in Tripoli have become places of fear.

Children who are out of school are at a heightened risk of violence and recruitment into the fighting.

Education is a basic right for every single child– even in areas affected by conflict. Attacks on education facilities are a grave violation against children’s rights, International Humanitarian Law and Human Rights Law. Depriving children of the opportunity to learn has a devastating impact on their wellbeing and future.

UNICEF also calls on parties to the conflict in Libya to protect children at all times, stop attacks against schools and to refrain from violence, including indiscriminate attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure.  

The rejection of EU officials visit to Tripoli

Written by LS on . Posted in News. No Comments on The rejection of EU officials visit to Tripoli

Many Libyan political parties expressed their concern about the upcoming visit of European foreign ministers to Tripoli, claiming “it is far too late”.

In a statement, the parties voiced their rejection to the “political hypocrisy” of European countries.

They also expressed their support for the memorandum of Understanding signed with the Turkish, considering it a legal right of the Government of National Accord.

GNA aligned forces: we quit Sirte

Written by LS on . Posted in News. No Comments on GNA aligned forces: we quit Sirte

 Forces aligned with the Government of National Accord claimed that they withdrew from Sirte to avoid bloodshed and save the lives of civilians, the young soldiers as well, after their eastern rivals rapidly entered Sirte and took control.

” After studying the situation, our forces made a decision, to withdraw outside Sirte, then await orders,” the Sirte Protection Force claimed in a statement.

He also accused LNA fighters of burning homes and committing theft and looting in Sirte after entering the city.

Algeria is invited to Berlin Conference

Written by LS on . Posted in News. No Comments on Algeria is invited to Berlin Conference

The Algerian Presidency confirmed Monday, that President Abdelmadjid Tebboune received an invitation from the German Chancellor, Angela Merkel to attend the upcoming Berlin Conference on Libya.

The two leaders affirmed that the political solution is the only way through which durable peace can be achieved in Libya, stressing to continue efforts in order to end external interference.

The Libyan crisis: A political solution is needed

Written by LS on . Posted in News. No Comments on The Libyan crisis: A political solution is needed

Tunisian President, Kais Saied and German Chancellor, Angela Merkel emphasized the need for a political solution to the Libyan crisis as well as the importance of engaging all countries concerned, including Tunisia, with the need to uphold international legitimacy.

Both sides discussed, during a phone call, the peace initiative that took place in Tunisia by gathering a number of social councils to tackle means of reconciliation and to draft a constitution for the next stage in Libya.

Sirte is under control of Haftar

Written by LS on . Posted in News. No Comments on Sirte is under control of Haftar

 Libyan forces loyal to Khalifa Haftar said on Monday that they took control of the strategic coastal city of Sirte in a fast advance preceded by air strikes.

Sirte is an important gain for Haftar, who since April has been waging a military offensive on the capital, Tripoli.

Libyan National Army (LNA) said it took areas surrounding Sirte, including al-Qardabiya air base, before moving towards the city centre.

“It was a well-planned, pre-emptive strike and within less than three hours we were in the heart of Sirte,” said LNA spokesman Ahmed al-Mismari.

“It was a sudden, swift operation,” he added.

A citizen in Sirte told Reuters in a phone call: “We can see convoys of LNA inside Sirte city … they control large parts of the city now. We also can hear gunfire.”

Turkey is sending military experts

Written by LS on . Posted in News. No Comments on Turkey is sending military experts

Turkey will send military experts and technical teams to support Libya’s Goverment of National Accord, as it is included in the military cooperation agreement signed with the GNA in November, Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said today.

This came a day after President Tayyip Erdogan said that Turkish military units started to move to Libya in order to support the GNA.

Oil Hits $70 as Middle East Crisis Deepens

Written by LS on . Posted in News. No Comments on Oil Hits $70 as Middle East Crisis Deepens

Oil prices rose over 1% Today, pushing Brent above $70 a barrel, as rhetoric from the United States, Iran and Iraq fanned tensions in the Middle East after a U.S air strike which killed a top Iranian military commander.

Quoting Reuters, U.S. West Texas Intermediate CLc1 crude was at $63.77 a barrel, up 72 cents, or 1.14%, after touching $64.72, the highest since April.