Libyan Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibah met with the newly appointed German Ambassador, Ralph Tarraf, in Tripoli to discuss enhancing cooperation in renewable energy and the importance of establishing direct air routes between the two countries.
According to Dbeibah’s office, the meeting also focused on facilitating visa issuance to strengthen bilateral ties and ease movement between the nations.
Dbeibah emphasized his government’s commitment to improving relations with Germany across various sectors to serve mutual interests.
In a separate development, Dbeibah met with the newly appointed board of the “Islamic Call Society” in Tripoli, where he stressed the need for full transparency in the society’s operations.
He also emphasized adhering to governance standards in all administrative and financial processes to ensure accountability and oversight.
Dbeibah praised the Libyan oil sector’s significant achievements, noting that production has exceeded 1.3 million barrels per day.
He commended the efforts of national workers in restoring output to its required levels, with particular praise for the National Oil Corporation and its supporting companies.
This boost in oil production comes at a crucial time for Libya, which struggles with political instability and ongoing conflict.
The Libyan oil sector remains a key driver of the economy, which the recent conflict has heavily impacted.
In other diplomatic news, the Acting Head of the UN Mission in Libya, Stephanie Khouri, met with the Qatari Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Mohammed bin Abdulaziz Al-Khulaifi, in Doha on Sunday. Khouri briefed Al-Khulaifi on the latest developments in Libya, including her recent presentation to the UN Security Council.
They discussed the current political situation in Libya and the importance of Libyan sovereignty. Both officials agreed on the need for unified international support to advance the Libyan political process, under Libyan leadership and the UN’s guidance, paving the way for general elections.
Qatar reiterated its support for the UN’s efforts in facilitating a political resolution to the Libyan crisis.
In a fresh political move, the Presidential Council has called on the Governor of the Central Bank and the House of Representatives to disregard a recent decision to reduce the foreign currency tax from 27% to 20%.
The Council emphasized the importance of adhering to judicial rulings that have suspended the implementation of this tax. It also called for immediate compliance with the court’s verdict, stressing that failure to do so would undermine the rule of law.
The tax reduction, based on a proposal from Central Bank Governor Najy Issa, has sparked controversy, especially after local courts in Tripoli, Misrata, and Benghazi ruled to halt its enforcement.
The debate over the tax, which affects the financial stability of the country, has intensified calls for a unified national budget to tackle unnecessary expenses and curb inflation.
Meanwhile, European Union Ambassador to Libya, Nicolas Orlando, emphasized that the EU’s partnership with Libya is built on supporting the country’s border management and conducting search-and-rescue operations in the Sahara by human rights standards.
During the inauguration of a new training center in Sabratha for the Libyan Border Guard, funded by the EU, Orlando highlighted the continuous support and human rights training provided by the International Organization for Migration.
In another major development, Prime Minister of the “Stability” government, Osama Hammad, accompanied by the Director General of the “Libya Reconstruction and Development Fund” (LRCF), Al-Qasim Haftar, inaugurated new reconstruction projects in the city of Derna.
