Libya urgently needs money and could actually benefit from the current situation on the world oil market. But the political chaos in the country thwarts this calculation.
Ironically, in times of lucrative and high world market prices, Libya’s oil industry is plagued by production losses due to acts of sabotage.
“I am following reports of the closure of oil fields with concern,” tweeted the UN special envoy for the civil war country, Stephanie Williams, on Monday. “The blocking of oil production deprives all Libyans of their most important source of income”.
Criminal gangs have closed oil pump valves in several oil fields, Libya’s state oil company NOC said. The company is now losing 330,000 barrels of oil every day, and the country is losing the equivalent of almost 32 million euros every day. In view of the currently high oil prices, the NOC believes that those responsible are aiming to “plunge Libya into chaos”. Attacks on oil production further aggravated the already difficult economic situation in the civil war country.
UN Special Envoy Williams is also concerned about reports of several civilian flights being suspended, as she wrote on Twitter. “Freedom of movement across the country is a fundamental right.” Domestic flights between East and West are affected. The background is that the divided country recently had two competing governments again – one in the west and one in the east. According to reports, the cut flight connections were intended to prevent the ministers in the controversial new cabinet from traveling to Tobruk in eastern Libya for their swearing-in ceremony. The swearing-in took place last Thursday.
After the fall of the long-term ruler Muammar al-Gaddafi, a civil war broke out in Libya in 2011, in which two leaders also fought for power. In order to put pressure on the then internationally recognized government, supporters of the opposing government also blocked oil production. Also involved in the blockades were mercenaries from the private Russian “Wagner Group”, which is said to have ties to the Kremlin.
The Libyans were supposed to choose a government through free elections in December. However, the election was not made, but according to the wishes of the United Nations, it should be made up for by June if possible.
Source: Stern
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