The President of the Therapeutic Services Support and Development Authority, Ahmad Melitan, signed an agreement with the Chairman of the International Projects Development Committee at the Italian company GKSD, Francesco Galli, to develop the healthcare system in Libya through the management and operation of hospitals, as part of the localization of treatment project.
This took place during the launch of the Libyan-Italian Forum, held at the Tripoli International Fairgrounds.
The Public Prosecution has ordered the imprisonment of the Assistant Director of the Sabratha Center for Cardiac Surgery and Treatment, along with a former financial supervisor at the center.
This is due to the accusation of disbursing one million dinars for the procurement of equipment and supplies that do not meet the approved specifications, as well as fictitious items for which documents were fraudulently prepared, and for directly commissioning one of the execution tools out of favoritism.
The head of the Libyan Presidential Council, Mohamed Al-Menfi, said in a tweet on his official account on X that the continuation of unilateral decisions without addressing them as a package through the dialogue led by the mission encourages institutions to persist in their unilateral approach.
Al-Menfi called on the Secretary-General to expedite the appointment of a permanent envoy to Libya, along with extending the Security Council’s mandate for the mission for a sufficient period to accomplish the national elections.
During his meeting with the African Governors at the International Monetary Fund in Washington, the Governor of the Central Bank of Libya, Naji Issa, presented his briefing on the latest developments regarding the Central Bank, including the appointment of a Governor, Deputy Governor, and Board of Directors, as well as his vision for the upcoming phase. He highlighted the main priorities and challenges he aims to address in the short term, which include liquidity, stabilizing the exchange rate, organizing the foreign exchange market, and expanding electronic payment services.
Issa emphasized that the coming phase requires establishing a medium-term economic vision in which all economic policies harmonize to maintain financial stability and sustainability.
Professor of Economics at the University of Benghazi, Atia Al-Fitouri, stated in an interview for the “Economy+” program that the most that can be done is for the dollar to reach 4.5 dinars, unless the Central Bank of Libya raises the value of the Libyan dinar against the Special Drawing Rights (SDR) unit (the currency of the International Monetary Fund).
Al-Fitouri explained that the value of the Libyan dinar was reduced by 70% in 2021 against the Special Drawing Rights unit, which consists of five currencies. We rise with the increase in the value of the SDR unit and fall with its decrease, meaning that the decline in the official price reflects a decrease in the Special Drawing Rights unit against the dollar.
The Director of the Banking and Currency Supervision Department at the Central Bank of Libya, Abdelmajid Al-Maqouri, issued a circular on Monday to the general managers of commercial banks, granting them the authority to accept transactions using “personal purposes” cards at local Points of Sale (POS) owned by Libyan banks.
The circular clarified that amounts will be deducted from both local and foreign cards, converted to Libyan dinars, and deposited into foreign currency accounts. These funds can then be used to issue Visa or MasterCard, send quick transfers via MoneyGram or Western Union, make direct international transfers, or open letters of credit in accordance with the regulations issued by the Central Bank.
The High National Elections Commission has announced that the final lists of candidates for the 2024 Municipal Council Elections (First Group) will be published next Sunday.
The Commission also added that the voting date will be set, along with details of the procedures to initiate candidates’ election campaigns during this period.
The Prime Minister of the National Unity Government, Abdul Hamid Dbeibeh, along with the National Council for Economic and Social Development, chaired by Mahmoud Ftisi, approved the National Strategy for Social Protection and the National Strategy to Address the Impact of the Spread of Drugs and Psychotropic Substances in Libya.
This approval was made with the participation of Foreign Minister Taher Al-Baour, Social Affairs Minister Wafa Al-Kilani, Justice Minister Halima Ibrahim, and Minister of State for Cabinet Affairs Adel Jumaa.
The United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) has expressed its support for the recent appointment of a Board of Directors for the Central Bank of Libya. In a statement, UNSMIL emphasized the importance of this step in ensuring that the bank operates with independence, integrity, transparency, and accountability. According to the Mission, a well-functioning board will enable the Central Bank to effectively manage the country’s monetary policy and contribute to its overall economic stability.
UNSMIL also urged the newly appointed leadership of the Central Bank to continue efforts toward the reunification of the institution, which has been split due to Libya’s ongoing political divisions. The Mission highlighted the need for tangible progress in this area, alongside the implementation of enhanced governance measures that include avoiding conflicts of interest.
In addition, UNSMIL encouraged the adoption of sound financial policies to ensure both financial and economic stability in Libya. These policies should be informed by the recommendations from the international financial audit of the Central Bank, which was facilitated by UNSMIL, and the consultations conducted under Article IV of the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
The Mission further stressed that the Central Bank must be shielded from political interference to maintain its credibility within the global financial system. Protecting the bank’s independence is crucial to allowing it to effectively perform its vital role in the Libyan economy, UNSMIL concluded.
This development marks an important step in strengthening the governance of Libya’s financial institutions, as the country continues to seek stability and recovery.
Aman Bank has announced the resumption of Point of Sale (POS) transactions in USD based on a circular from the Central Bank of Libya. The bank noted that all Aman Bank cards will be accepted starting today, Monday, with a 2.5% commission, while cards from other banks will be accepted starting next Wednesday.
Aman Bank also mentioned that a dinar account has been opened for merchants to receive the equivalent amount in Libyan dinars, convertible to ensure acceptance of all Aman Bank cards and other bank cards. The USD equivalent will be deposited within 24 hours for Aman Bank cards and within 48 hours for other local and international bank cards. Customers can transfer their account balances to internal accounts in foreign currencies (USD and Euro) or make direct external transfers via “SWIFT.”
It is worth noting that the Director of the Banking and Currency Supervision Department at the Central Bank of Libya issued a circular today, Monday, to the general managers of banks, granting commercial banks the authority to process transactions using personal purpose cards through local POS terminals owned by Libyan banks.
