Weekly Highlights
- Libya’s Tobruk-based government resigns
- US Embassy says Libyan National Army offered assurances on resumption of oil production
- Protesters set government building on fire in eastern Libya
- Italy welcomes the outcome of dialogue between the Libyan parties in Switzerland
- Tunisia appoints new Ambassador to Tripoli, speculation of embassy reopening
- Currency Exchange:
- Bank exchange rate: USD 1 – LYD 1.3724
- Black market exchange rate: USD 1 – LYD 6.28
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Libya’s Tobruk-based government resigns
Libya’s eastern-based government aligned with warlord Khalifa Haftar resigned Sunday amid rising protests in a number of cities over deteriorating living conditions and corruption, the Tobruk-based parliament announced on its website. Abdullah Al-Thani, the head of the government, which is not recognized internationally, submitted its resignation to the speaker of the Tobruk-based House of Representatives, Aguila Saleh, during an urgent meeting in which they discussed the protesters’ demands.
People in several eastern cities have been protesting for the last three days over the poor living conditions in the region. AA
US Embassy says Libyan National Army offered assurances on resumption of oil production
The US Embassy in Libya welcomes the assurance of Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar, the head of the Libyan National Army (LNA), that the energy sector in the country would reopen no later than 12 September. “As responsible Libyan parties come together in UN-facilitated peaceful dialogue, the U.S. Embassy is encouraged by an apparent sovereign Libyan agreement to enable the National Oil Corporation (NOC) to resume its vital and apolitical work,” the embassy said in a Saturday statement. According to the release, in an exchange of letters between US Ambassador to Libya Richard Norland and head of the LNA, Norland stressed US support for a financial model that would guarantee that oil and gas revenues are managed transparently in Libya. SPUTNIK NEWS
Protesters set government building on fire in eastern Libya
Protesters set fire to the eastern-based government’s headquarters in the Libyan city of Benghazi, as rare demonstrations over living conditions and corruption continued in the east of the country for a third day.
The protests late on Saturday also erupted in al-Bayda, in Sabha in the south, and for the first time in al-Marj, a stronghold of eastern-based renegade military commander Khalifa Haftar, witnesses said. Libya has been split into rival camps with parallel institutions in the east and the west since 2014. ALJAZEERA
Italy welcomes the outcome of dialogue between the Libyan parties in Switzerland
Italy has welcomed the recommendations approved by the representatives of the Libyan parties which were as a result of talks held in Montreux, Switzerland, under the auspices of the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL). The Italian Foreign Ministry said in a statement that the discussions are a step in the right direction in light of the upcoming Libyan Political Dialogue Forum. It added that the recommendations of the Swiss talks would contribute to creating the ideal conditions for framing a common institutional network for an electoral process, which guarantees the representation of all Libyan people and more importantly the sovereignty of Libya. LIBYA OBSERVER
Tunisia appoints new Ambassador to Tripoli, speculation of embassy reopening
The Tunisian Foreign Ministry announced the appointment of a new Ambassador to Tripoli on Saturday. He is Assaad Ajili. The announcement came as part of a large batch of diplomatic appointments by the President of Tunisia. The appointment has led to speculation in Libya that Tunisia will reopen its Tripoli embassy after a closure lasting six years. It will be recalled that Tunisia had closed its Tripoli embassy in October 2014, and its Consulate General in July 2015, as a result of deteriorating security conditions and the kidnapping of Tunisian diplomats by suspected Libyan militants/extremists. LIBYA HERALD
USEFUL INFORMATION
List of holidays in Libya 2020
Exchange rates – Libyan Dinar
According to our most recent information (13th September 2020) the Libyan Dinar has the following exchange rates.
The exchange rate from your own bank or credit card company will differ somewhat from the exchange rates as mentioned above. Your bank or credit card company might also apply additional international charges.
LIBYA SECURITY & RISK LEVELS
Crime levels in Libya remain high, including the threat of kidnapping for ransom. Westerners and U.S. citizens have been targets of these crimes.
Terrorist groups continue plotting attacks in Libya. Violent extremist activity in Libya remains high, and extremist groups have made threats against U.S. government officials and citizens. Terrorists may attack with little or no warning, targeting tourist locations, hotels, transportation hubs, markets/shopping malls, and government facilities.
Outbreaks of violence between competing armed groups can occur with little warning and have the potential to impact U.S. citizens. The capital, Tripoli, and other cities, such as Surman, Al-Jufra, Misrata, Ajdabiya, Benghazi, Sabha, and Dernah, have witnessed fighting among armed groups, as well as terrorist attacks. Hotels and airports frequented by Westerners have been the targets of these attacks. Even demonstrations intended to be peaceful can turn confrontational and escalate into violence.
For the latest information regarding COVID-19, please visit:
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC)
If you decide to travel to Libya:
- Carry proof of citizenship and valid immigration status at all times.
- Avoid demonstrations and crowds.
- Make contingency plans to leave.
- Establish your own personal security plan in coordination with your employer or host organisation or consider consulting with a professional security organization.
- Develop a communication plan with family and/or your employer or host organization.
LIBYA INCIDENT MAPPING: 08 – 15 SEPTEMBER 20
LIBYA – SIGNIFICANT INCIDENTS IN DETAIL
UAE Product Tanker Intercepted on Suspicion of Arms Smuggling
A European Union naval vessel on Thursday stopped a ship that was carrying jet fuel from the United Arab Emirates to Libya on suspicion it was violating a United Nations arms embargo, EU officials said. The EU military mission, named Irini, is operating in the Mediterranean to stop arms from reach warring factions in Libya.
The mission said in a statement that a German frigate, supported by an Italian frigate, stopped the merchant vessel Royal Diamond 7 just after dawn in international waters, 150 km (95 miles) north of the Libyan city of Derna. The ship had sailed from the port of Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates and was heading to Benghazi in Libya, the statement said, adding that its cargo of fuel was “likely to be used for military purposes.” The Royal Diamond 7 was diverted to an undisclosed EU port for further checks.
Libya has been split since 2014 between areas controlled by the internationally recognized Government of National Accord (GNA) in Tripoli and territory held by commander Khalifa Haftar’s Libyan National Army (LNA), based in Benghazi. The UAE, Egypt and Russia back Haftar, who has suffered a string of military reverses this year. The U.N. Security Council has imposed an embargo on arms to stop the military confrontation and facilitate the peace process in the country. The EU is enforcing the embargo through its Irini operation.
AFRICOM: Russia has sent 12 fighter aircraft to Libya
The US Africa Command (AFRICOM) has said it believes that more than a dozen Russian aircraft, first reported to have been deployed to Libya in May, are being flown by Wagner Group paramilitary pilots. In a statement on Friday, an AFRICOM senior official said two Russian fighter jets have crashed in Libya since being deployed to country’s war on the side of Khalifa Haftar earlier this year.
It is not clear whether the two MiG-29s were shot down, suffered mechanical failure or crashed because of pilot error, Rear Adm. Heidi Berg, director of intelligence for US Africa Command, told reporters by phone Friday, noting that the first MiG crashed June 28, the other on Monday. In May, the US military released aerial imagery showing MiG-29 and Su-24 aircraft on the ground in Libya, raising concern that the Kremlin was trying to “tip the scales” on behalf of Haftar in his fight against the UN-backed Government of National Accord in Tripoli.
AFRICOM said at the time that the fighter jets had been flown from Russia to Syria, where they were repainted before continuing on to Libya. Meanwhile, Russia maintained denial of any formal military presence in Libya or any military support to Libyan warring parties as president Vladimir Putin and his senior officials have more than once distanced themselves from what they described as the private military company (Wagner Group). Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov denied last week reports that said Moscow had used Syrian land to send weapons and mercenaries to Libya.
REGIONAL REPORTED INCIDENT NUMBERS: 08 – 15 SEPTEMBER 20
POLITICAL OVERVIEW
The Acting UN envoy to Libya, Stephanie Williams, met Monday with Eunavfor Med “IRINI Operation” commander, admiral Agostini and welcomed recent efforts at enforcing the arms embargo in Libya after intercepting a UAE vessel bringing military support for Khalifa Haftar in Libya in violation of the UN arms embargo. Williams recalled Berlin participants’ commitments to respect relevant UN Resolutions and urged them to fulfil their responsibilities. LIBYA OBSERVER
Libya’s eastern-based government aligned with warlord Khalifa Haftar resigned Sunday amid rising protests in a number of cities over deteriorating living conditions and corruption, the Tobruk-based parliament announced on its website. Abdullah Al-Thani, the head of the government, which is not recognized internationally, submitted its resignation to the speaker of the Tobruk-based House of Representatives, Aguila Saleh, during an urgent meeting in which they discussed the protesters’ demands. People in several eastern cities have been protesting for the last three days over the poor living conditions in the region. AA
At the end of their five-day meetings in Rabat, Morocco yesterday, members of the Tobruk-based House of Representatives (HoR) and High State Council (HSC) announced in a joint communique a comprehensive agreement on transparent and objective standards and mechanisms for appointing Libya’s main sovereign positions. The talks were planned for two days and had to be extended. They also announced that they had agreed to continue their dialogue and resume these meetings in the last week of this month, in order to complete the necessary procedures, which ensure the implementation and activation of this agreement. LIBYA HERALD
After more than six months of squabbling, the UN Security Council has agreed to name a new special envoy for Libya and a “coordinator” who will be second in command, diplomats said Friday. The Council will vote early next week on a draft resolution that would renew the UN Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) until September 15, 2021 and spell out the leadership structure. The draft says the Council had decided “UNSMIL should be led by a Special Envoy of the Secretary-General with a particular focus on good offices and mediation with Libyan and international actors to end the conflict.” THE ARAB WEEKLY
Top officials from across the world called Morocco’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Nasser Bourita, on Friday to express their satisfaction with the Moroccan initiative to host a Libyan dialogue. Between September 6-10, Morocco hosted talks between delegations representing the Tripoli-based Libyan High Council of State and the Tobruk-based Libyan House of Representatives. The negotiations aimed to help solve the Libyan crisis and resulted in a “comprehensive agreement” between the parties. The top officials that welcomed Morocco’s initiative on Friday include foreign ministers from countries that are involved in the Libyan conflict, such as Russia and Turkey. MOROCCO WORLD NEWS
AIRPORTS & BORDERS STATUS
Libya’s National Center for Disease Control announced a significant increase in the COVID-19 infections, after recording 969 new cases on 11 Sep, with 548 in Tripoli. The center issued a statement Friday reporting that the total number of coronavirus infections in Libya is nearing 22,000, with over 19,000 active cases, 2,506 recoveries and 352 deaths, since the emergence of the pandemic in the country.
