Good morning,
This is a roundup of the main news from Libya as reported by International news portals, provided by Diplomatique.Expert.
The Libyan Foreign Minister Mohammed Sayala said the true borders of the European Union are not in the Mediterranean but in the vast Libyan desert, referring to the influx of migrants through Libya’s southern borders.
Sayala told Kuwaiti News Agency Thursday that illegal immigration cannot be stopped along the Libyan coast as it needs more cooperation to build infrastructure and create work opportunities for the immigrants before crossing the borders. Sayala’s remarks come after his visit to Austria with the Head of the Presidential Council Fayez Al-Sirraj.
“We care about cooperation with Austria in securing the southern borders after we have signed a joint border agreement with Chad, Sudan and Niger.” Sayala added. He indicated that on February 20, Libya will provide the EU with a final policy that is needed to secure the southern borders in the country. – Libya Observer
Tens of protesters took to the street in Benghazi, eastern Libya, calling on the UN envoy Ghassan Salame to leave for his “intentional negligence of the role of the Libyan army in fighting terrorism and for favoring Islamists over the army.” “Salame is always issuing statements to fool the public opinion.” the protesters said in a televised statement. They denounced as well Salame’s statements that doubt the objectives of the current military operation in southern Libya, led by Khalifa Haftar, accusing him of being biased to the Presidential Council. – Libya Observer
Four new hotels opened in Tripoli and Benghazi this month which will help drive domestic tourism, the Libyan Tourism Authority said. The hotel openings will support tourism and help drive the national economy. It will also drive domestic and desert tourism, the interest in cultural tourism and infrastructure projects of the tourism sector, the Tourism Authority explained. In Benghazi, three new hotels were opened; The Corniche Hotel on Khalifa al Mahdawi Street, the Benghazi Lighthouse Hotel on Tripoli Road, and the Hospitality Principles Hotel on the road linking the airport and the city centre. In Tripoli, the Royal Gardens Hotel was opened in Al Dhahara area near the city’s commercial centre. The new mid-range hotels will be a welcomed addition to this particular Libyan hotel sector which suffers from a lack of diversity and competition. – Libyan Herald
Reuters reported on Thursday that the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) is likely to delay the Libyan National Conference intended to prepare Libya for elections this year until there is more support from rival leaders. According to sources familiar with the UNSMIL’s plans speaking to Reuters, the conference could still happen by the end of February, but a delay until at least March looked more likely. The sources indicated that the UN envoy to Libya, Ghassan Salame, won’t announce a venue and date ahead until he thinks there is enough support from all sides in Libya. UNSMIL told Reuters in a statement on Thursday: “We plan for the conference to happen as soon as possible.” The national conference is central to a UN and Western roadmap for a vote in Libya as a way out of its eight-year war since the fall of Moammar Gaddafi. – Libya Express
Russian Deputy Foreign Minister, Mikhail Bogdanov said that his country is in constant contact with the Lebanese authorities, regarding the issue of the continued detention of son of former dictator Muammar Gaddafi, Hannibal, on Lebanese territory; saying that his detention is illogical because it was not based on a court’s rule.
Bogdanov told Russian news agency Sputnik that Moscow was in contact with the representatives of “Saif al-Islam Gaddafi” in several countries; saying that all political players in Libya have the right to participate in the elections to be held this year. – Libya Observer
The Italian Ambassador to Libya Giuseppe Perrone has officially announced today the end of his tenure as Italian Ambassador to Libya. Perrone said in a twit posted on his official account on twitter, today is the last day for me as Italian Ambassador in Tripoli, it was an extraordinary experience. He wished on his twit the success to all Libyan people for seeking peace and thriving to their country, he also thanked his country for granting him the opportunity to work in Libya, in a phase that he described as a decisive. Perrone finished his twit by saying ” I am full of confidence that what will coming to Libya will be the best ever” – Libya Express
The United Nations is likely to delay a conference intended to prepare Libya for elections this year until there is more support from rival leaders, sources familiar with the plans said.
The national meeting is central to a UN and Western roadmap for a vote in Libya as a way out of its eight-year war since the fall of Muammar Gaddafi. – Middle East Monitor
