Libya National Oil chief meets Italian FM

02 Septembre 2020

Tripoli, Libya, September 2 (Infosplusgabon) – The chairman of the Board of Directors of the Libya National Oil Company (NOC), Mustapha Sanalla, says the conflict in Libya is now between the parties who believe in the application of the law and respect for the democratic process against those who are hostile to it.

He was speaking at a meeting on Tuesday in Tripoli with the Italian minister of foreign affairs, Luigi Di Maio, at which he criticised Khalifa Haftar and his Libyan National Army (LNA) for imposing a blockade the country's oil sites since last January that has cost the war-torn North Africa country more than US$9 billion.

The NOC said that the meeting discussed important issues linked to the oil and gas sector and ways and means to strengthen cooperation between Libya and Italy in the sector.

Mr Sanalla expressed NOC's appreciation for Italy's efforts to lift the blockade and reach a political deal to resolve the Libyan crisis.

Mr. Di Maio reaffirmed his country’s support for NOC's efforts to preserve Libya’s stability and the sector, praising its neutrality and effective contribution for the relaunch of the Libyan economy.

Mr Di Maio also expressed "full support" for the initiative proposed by the company to resume oil production and export, and to deposit the revenue in the accounts of the company at the Libyan foreign bank.

This goes together with the launch of an economic path that guarantees financial transparency and restoration of the security arrangements regarding the security of the company’s installations and the evacuation of mercenaries and armed demonstrators from all oil sites.

NOC added that Mr Sanalla and Mr Di Maio, also discussed the negative role played by some foreign countries in Libya, particularly on the absence of the Libyan oil on the international markets.

FIN/ INFOSPLUSGABON/BVG/GABON2020

© Copyright  Infosplusgabon