Wednesday 23 September 2020
Last update on Wednesday, September 23, 2020 At 7:48 AM
The announcement was made in a televised speech by Haftar, hours after a statement by the Libyan National Oil Company (NOC) opposing "the politicization of the oil sector and its use as a bargaining chip to achieve political objectives".
“It has been decided to resume the production and export of petroleum with all the conditions and procedures capable of ensuring a fair distribution of its financial income”, Haftar said.
Foreign militias and groups loyal to the marshal – backed by Russia and the UAE – have since January 17th imposed a blockade on the exploitation of Libyan oil fields and facilities.
On August 12th, NOC said total losses from the blockade on oil production amounted, after 208 days, to some $ 8.22 billion.
Libyan oil reserves represent a production capacity of 1.22 million barrels per day. However, due to the internal conflict, the volume has currently fallen below 90,000 barrels.
Military dead end
In his speech, Haftar did not refer to the ceasefire initiative which has been underway in the country for about a month.
According to him, “all the initiatives which have so far been announced to resolve the crisis have ended in total failure. […] The initiatives which have been announced under the sign of a comprehensive settlement have focused on sharing of power without worrying about the citizen”.
Haftar stuck to the military option, saying : “Do not neglect the achievements for which our soldiers gave their lives. We will fight to preserve the unity of Libya.”
Resignation of Fayez al-Sarraj
President of the Council of the Libyan Presidency, Fayez al-Sarraj, expressed on Wednesday his intention to hand over power “to the next executive authority” by the end of October at the latest. An initiative which has been welcomed and praised by the United Nations, United States and Germany.
Sarraj, who heads the internationally recognized Libyan government, said that since the formation of the latter, he “has not been able to operate in a favorable environment, but has been exposed to plots and conspiracies both internal and coming from outside the country”.
Libya has been torn by civil war since the ousting of former leader Muammar Gaddafi in 2011. The government of national accord was formed in 2015 as part of an agreement concluded under the aegis of the United Nations, but the country has been grappling since April 2019 in a conflict that has claimed thousands of lives.
Source : Anadolu Agency.
