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Author: LS

A number of MPs meet with the British ambassador and call on British oil companies to work in Libya

Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the House of Representatives, Youssef Al-Aqouri, met today, Thursday, with the British Ambassador to Libya, Mrs. Caroline Horndal, to discuss a number of files, the most important of which is the role of the United Kingdom in supporting security and stability in Libya and the file of illegal immigration and its impact on the security and stability of the United Kingdom and the European continent .

Caroline stressed the need to hold presidential and parliamentary elections simultaneously, expel mercenaries and foreign forces from Libya, and establish a fair and transparent distribution mechanism for the country’s resources, and their refusal to interfere in Libyan internal affairs.

The meeting dealt with the file of unifying the executive authority and inviting companies in the United Kingdom to work in the field of oil, gas and renewable energy.

Aoun discusses areas of cooperation with Philippine companies and their return to work in the oil and gas sector

The Minister of Oil and Gas in the Government of National Unity, Mohamed Aoun, discussed today, Thursday, at the ministry’s office, with the Philippine Chargé d’Affairs to the State of Libya, Alan Gabriola, areas of cooperation with Philippine companies and their return to work in the oil and gas sector and prospects for cooperation.

Aoun presented an introductory overview of the mechanisms of joint cooperation between the two countries within the framework of the laws in force in the Libyan state, especially in the oil and gas sector.

This was in the presence of the Director General of the General Administration of Technical Affairs, Mustafa bin Issa and the Director General of Quality, Health, Safety and Environment at the Ministry of Oil and Gas, and from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Abdul Hamid Al-Megrahi and Ismail Al-Arabi.

Al-Hibri: “The Central Bank is a semi-dead authority, 90% of which is stagnant and does not move despite fake appearances”

The Governor of the Central Bank of Libya, appointed by the House of Representatives, Ali Al-Hibri, said today, Wednesday, in the press conference of the Central Bank’s Board of Directors regarding the exchange rate adjustment, that the Central Bank is a semi-dead authority, 90% of which is stagnant and does not move despite fake appearances, and with this Central Bank is not fully operational and managed.

Al-Hibri explained that changing the exchange rate would motivate the government to rationalize spending, activate monetary policy, and search for economic reforms that benefit public finances, because the central bank alone, through the exchange rate, cannot lead the country’s economy, stressing that setting the exchange rate is the competence of the bank’s board of directors. The central bank, and the executive authority in the bank represented by the Governor Seddiq Al-Kabeer, must respect this decision and implement it, which is a fair economic decision.

Al-Hibri added that “everyone should work to activate the exchange rate in a fair manner, and resort to the judiciary which will be fair. Al-Kabeer bears full responsibility and all department managers in the Central Bank, and the unification of the management of the Central Bank is based on 3 necessary things, if agreed upon, the bank will be unified, which are the opening of the system, the clearing, and the freedom of the eastern region’s banks to move their balances.”

Al-Hibri also said: “We tried in the past to adjust the exchange rate and sent a note to Al-Kabeer. He replied to us on WhatsApp saying “We heard that you bought equipment to print the currency.” His message was as if it’s written by Adel Imam, and called for mockery, so I had to respond to him: “Instead of discussing printing the currency, let them discuss topics of interest to the citizens.”

Abu Hessa affirms support for industrial cooperation and investment during his meeting with Wang Kang Group

The Minister of Industry and Minerals in the Government of National Unity, Ahmed Abu Hessa, affirmed today, Wednesday, the support of industrial cooperation and investment operations in accordance with the laws and legislation in force, during his meeting with the Chinese Wang Kang Holding Group, which specializes in the fields of ceramic and cement industries.

Abu Hessa explained the ministry’s recent efforts to create industrial zones in various parts of Libya with the aim of localizing industrial projects and transferring knowledge, reviewing the country’s diverse capabilities and natural resources that qualify it well to be an attractive environment for investment, and contributing to making it a successful destination for investors.

For its part, the Chinese delegation affirmed the sincerity of their desire to work jointly with the relevant authorities in the country concerned with investment in a way that achieves the mutual benefit of both parties.

Bashagha is following up on the performance of the Chamber of Emergencies and the works it supervises, including the maintenance of roads in the city of Benghazi

Today, Wednesday, the Libyan Prime Minister, Fathi Bashagha, continued the performance of the emergency room and the works it supervises, including the maintenance of roads and public facades, hygiene campaigns and attention to the general appearance of the city of Benghazi, in the presence of the Minister of Planning and of Finance, Osama Hammad, and the Minister of Public Works, Nasr Sharh Al-Bal, the Minister of The State for the Affairs of the Prime Minister, Mohamed Farhat, the head of the Chamber of Emergencies, Faraj Qaim, and the head of the Executive Council, Saqr Bojwari.

Bashagha directed his instructions to coordinate with all relevant authorities to ensure the implementation of works in accordance with the technical principles and the specified time periods, and to take the necessary measures to receive the rainy season, in addition to some technical notes on the ongoing work at the entrances and center of the city.

Al-Akari: “The unified salary scale has either to study carefully and bring about justice, or to go through contradictions that weaken the dinar”

The banking expert and member of the Exchange Rate Adjustment Committee, Misbah Al-Akari, said that the unified salary scale has two things. Either it is carefully studied and justice occurs between the effort and the return, or it passes based on emotions and political rivalries that drown the state and go with the hope of strengthening the Libyan dinar into vain.

Al-Akari explained that economic matters are heading to improve, noting that it is better to strengthen the dinar and not create new factors that weaken the value of the dinar, especially after the issuance of the Central Bank’s board of directors’ decision to strengthen the local currency by 15%.

Al-Akari added that there are some salaries that need to be reviewed, but at the same time, the huge number of shops and economic activities owned by and where the proceeds of these activities go.

The Audit Department of the Audit Bureau is discussing with the head of the Supply Authority the supply of insulin pumps for diabetic patients

Today, Wednesday, the Director of the Service Sectors Oversight Department at the Audit Bureau discussed the supply of insulin pumps for diabetics with the head of the medical supply system, some technical departments of the agency, and members of the Libyan Organization for Diabetics Friends.

The meeting dealt with setting the mechanism that regulates the supply process and setting controls and standards based on sound foundations and studies from all sides, to ensure the equitable distribution of these pumps and their delivery to the beneficiaries, to alleviate the suffering of this category of patients.

It was agreed that diabetes patients would be counted as a first stage, through the creation of an electronic database containing the number of patients and their personal data, to ensure a fair distribution.

The attendees also stressed the need for concerted efforts, in order to address the current situation and define a future plan, by dedicating the role of electronic administration to follow up on the dispensing of medicines and medical equipment, and that it was done in a fair and regular manner.

Al-Abed discusses ways of cooperation in implementing the national rehabilitation project program in the eastern and southern regions

The Minister of Labor and Rehabilitation of the Government of National Unity, Ali Al-Abed, discussed today, Wednesday, ways of cooperation in the implementation of the National Project for Rehabilitation and Reintegration and the resettlement of a number of training programs and projects in the eastern and southern regions with the representative of the United Nations Development Program in Libya, Marc-André Franche.

Al-Abed stressed the importance of coordination to benefit from international expertise in the fields of professional and craft training and capacity development, which are required by the local labor market, and to strengthen partnership and cooperation between the Ministry and the Development Program.

For his part, Franche praised the cooperation on the part of the ministry, especially in vocational training programs as well as the integration programme, stressing that this will only be done through economic integration programmes.

It was also agreed to sign a memorandum of cooperation between the ministry and the program to implement a package of programs and projects.

Al-Hibri discusses with the British Ambassador the developments of unifying the Central Bank of Libya

Today, Wednesday, the Governor of the Central Bank of Libya, designated by the House of Representatives, Ali Al-Hibri, discussed the latest developments in the project to unify the Central Bank, the economic and financial situation facing the country in light of recent developments locally and internationally, and the proposed solutions, including the decision of the Central Bank of Libya’s Board of Directors to amend the exchange rate of the Libyan Dinar, with the British Ambassador to Libya, Caroline Hurndall.

Caroline praised the efforts made by the British Kingdom with all parties to achieve stability and growth in Libya and mitigate its negative impact as much as possible.

Mark Fullbrook is reported to have acted as Bashagha’s PR adviser, as officials were lobbied on foreign policy

Mark Fullbrook, the No 10 chief of staff, accompanied the Libyan politician, Fathi Bashagha, to a meeting in the Foreign Office to lobby officials on foreign policy, it has emerged, raising further questions over his influence.

The Labour party has said Fullbrook’s position as Liz Truss’s most senior official is “untenable” after it was revealed that he facilitated unofficial meetings in June with senior cabinet ministers for Bashagha, who is seeking international support as a rival prime minister, has links to the Russian Wagner Group and a military strongman in the east of the country.

Bashagha and Fullbrook met Stephen Hickey, a director for the Middle East and north Africa, despite it not being a trip officially hosted by the UK government and the UK ambassador to Libya having to clarify that he was not a guest of the UK.

During the two-day visit, Fullbrook was helping Bashagha to lobby the government to diverge from the official stance of the UN and back a rival administration in Libya.

Bashagha met also Kwasi Kwarteng, then business secretary, and Nadhim Zahawi, then education secretary, at an unofficial appointment in parliament. It also reported that Fullbrook had made efforts to influence Truss, despite No 10 having previously told the Guardian that his company, Fullbrook Strategies, “did not lobby Liz Truss when she was foreign secretary”.

In his bid for power, Bashagha formed an alliance of convenience with not only the powerful speaker of Libya’s House of Representatives (HoR), but also eastern Libya’s military strongman, Khalifa Haftar, a man accused of war crimes.

The UK ambassador in Libya, Caroline Hurndall, has met Bashagha more than once and the UK policy is to focus on the UN-led efforts to get both sides to agree to the terms of national elections.

Downing Street was contacted for comment on Fullbrook’s role in the meeting. No 10 told the Sunday Times at the weekend that he had recused himself from matters involving Libya. A Fullbrook spokesperson told the newspaper: “These matters relate to Mr Fullbrook’s engagements long before he was involved with any government role.

Libya is now broadly divided between two sides: one based in Tripoli, dependent on Turkish support and led by Abdul Hamid Dbeibeh, and the other based in the east and reliant on the support of Russia and the United Arab Emirates.