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AFP on August 5, 2017, 11:35 pm

New UN envoy to Libya vows 'respect' for sovereignty

Tripoli (AFP) - The new UN envoy to Libya on Saturday started his first visit to the conflict-plagued North African country with a pledge to "respect" its sovereignty and unity.

Ghassan Salame, a Lebanese academic and former culture minister, takes over from Martin Kobler with the task of leading political unity talks between rival factions in the deeply divided country.

He flew in to Mitiga airport, a former air base in Tripoli, and held talks with Fayez al-Sarraj, the embattled head of a UN-backed Government of National Accord contested by a rival administration in eastern Libya.

"I assume my role with the utmost respect for the national sovereignty, independence and unity of Libya," Salame told a news conference flanked by Sarraj at the prime minister's office in the capital.

The talks focused on the economic, political and security "challenges" facing Libya since its 2011 uprising that ousted and killed longtime dictator Moamer Kadhafi, the UN envoy said.

Salame said the meeting with Sarraj, also attended by Foreign Minister Mohamed al-Taher Siala, had been "constructive" and that they had "agreed on the urgency to end the suffering of the Libyan people".

The UN mission would return in stages to its headquarters in Tripoli, which it had left in the aftermath of fierce fighting in 2014 between rival militias.

Sarraj said he briefed Salame on an agreement he reached with military strongman Khalifa Haftar, who is based in the east and backs the rival administration, for a ceasefire, political talks and elections.

The deal was struck last month at talks hosted by French President Emmanual Macron, and it has been endorsed by the UN Security Council.

It is the latest attempt to put an end to six years of chaos in oil-rich Libya where rival militias and administrations have been vying to control the country's wealth and cities.

- 'Complete what we started' -

The chaos has hampered Libya's efforts to rebuild its economy which is heavily dependent on oil, and improve condition for its war-weary citizens who complain of water and electricity shortages and spiralling prices.

People trafficking from Libya has also been a source of great concern for Europe.

The United Nations has been struggling for months to relaunch talks on a deal reached in 2015 on setting up a national unity government that has been rejected by Haftar and other factions.

Sarraj has struggled to assert his authority across Libya since he took office in Tripoli in March 2016, and the deal he struck with Haftar last month is seen as a new attempt to restore stability in Libya.

"It is important to step forward and complete what we started," Sarraj said, referrring to the UN-backed political agreement struck in December 2015 that paved the way for the creation of his unity government.

At the end of July, Sarraj called for a referendum on a draft constitution approved by a special elected panel following years of wrangling.

If passed, the draft text would make Libya a republic with a president and two houses of parliament. Tripoli would remain the capital, Islam the state religion and Islamic law a source of legislation.

Last month, Sarraj announced a political roadmap for his country, with presidential and parliamentary elections to be held in March 2018.

Under Kadhafi's four-decade dictatorship Libya had no constitution.

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New UN envoy to Libya vows 'respect' for sovereignty - Yahoo7 News

Sources close to the Libyan detainees in Saudi Arabia claim that news on social networking pages about the release of the three Libyans held by the Saudi authorities is nothing but rumor.

Local media released news described as coming from people close to the three detainees reporting that the Libyans are still in detention without any charges against them, calling on the official authorities in Libya to place their case for release as urgent.

Saudi authorities arrested three Libyans, two of them being leaders of revolutionary units that are registered under the police force in Zawiya while performing the Umrah religious journey to Mecca in Saudi Arabia.

The two leaders are first lieutenants in the police, Mahmoud Bin Rajab, who is commander of the Central Security Battalion in Zawiya and Captain Mohammed Hussein. Sources had stated earlier that the arrest came on the basis of a list submitted by the Libyan Interior Ministry without specifying from which government, but it is becoming more obvious with time that the Ministry of Interior in Tripoli could well be behind the list which was sent by Saudi authorities causing the two arrests.

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Release of three Libyans detained in Saudi Arabia denied - The Libya Observer

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The Fuel and Gas Crisis Committee stated on Friday that they have prevented the smuggling of more than 102 million litres of fuel from the western region over the past five months. The statement which was made on the committee's official account on Facebook said the total amount of diesel fuel prevented from being smuggled since the beginning of March this year to the end of June is 102 million and 613 thousand litres.

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The General Electricity Company of Libya (GECOL) stated that their technical teams were accompanied by patrols of the electricity police and in cooperation with the General Administration for the Protection of Electric Power to launch a campaign to disconnect illegal connections to the grid by shop owners in a number of areas in the capital Tripoli.

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The Central Bank of Libya has granted its final approval to fifty four livestock supply companies to import the Eid sacrifice with a collection fee of 100 million dollars. The subsidy should equate to 570 thousand heads of sheep, and the deadline for the arrival of shipments to Libyan ports is 20 August.

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The spokesman for the Libyan Naval Forces, Brigadier Ayoub Qasim, has stated that a unit from the Zawiyah refinery Coast Guard Sector, managed to rescue 462 illegal immigrants originating from Libyan, Moroccan, Tunisian, Algerian, Sudanese, Syrian and African countries, including women and children. The search and rescue operation took place at a distance of nine miles north of the town of Sabratha, and the migrants were traveling in rubber and wooden boats.

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Citizens demonstrated in the city of Derna on Friday, to protest against the siege imposed on the city by Dignity Operation forces. The people called on the United Nations and other humanitarian organizations to take urgent measures to lift the siege, expressing their rejection of the collective punishment policy of the Khalifa Hefter's forces. There was also a feeling of outrage at the silence of Libyans nationwide to what is happening in Derna.

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The semi-finals of the Libya handball tournament between Itihad and Ahli was suspended in Gharyan after riots between the supporters of the two teams. Riot police were forced to intervene and disengage the crowd from the stadium and the match was canceled minutes later and postponed for Saturday evening.

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The World Health Organisation (WHO) office in Libya has provided 10 emergency treatment units to Kowafe Hospital and Jalaa Hospital in Benghazi. WHO also sent basic life-saving medicines and essential intravenous fluids to respond to the city's humanitarian needs. The head of the WHO mission in Libya, Dr. Jafar Hussein, said that constraints on the health situation in Libya were increasing, and added that the provision of life-saving medicines and supplies would make a significant contribution to saving lives.

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Libyan airlines have announced that they will completely stop accepting all requests for reductions on their tickets, especially those who apply for them on the basis of medical treatment and students studying abroad. The media spokesman of the company, Saad Bukhatwa stated on Wednesday that the decision applies to everyone without exception and includes all of the company's internal and external flights starting from the first of August. Bukhatwa added that the decision was made to protect the interests of the Libyan airline company.

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The Director of the Department of Examinations at the Ministry of Education, Mohammed Arousi, has confirmed following an inspection visit by the Minister of Education Othman AbdulJalil, that scoring of exam results for the intermediate certificate for the year 2016-2017 is in its final stages and that the date for results to be revealed will be in the coming days.

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News Roundup - Sat, Aug 5, 2017 - The Libya Observer

Former Libyan football player, Salim Aoun, has been found dead after his body was discovered buried in a farm in the area of Qenaouia south of Sorman town, 60 km west of Tripoli.

A security source said the Criminal Investigation Department of the western region arrested one of the kidnappers, a young man from outside Sorman called Mosab al-Khuwaildi. He admitted to taking part in the kidnapping with another person named Abdul-Razzaq bin Shitti

"According to the confessions, they kidnapped the victim and moved him to a farm located in the area of Qenaouia. They later shot the victim and then buried him in the same place to conceal any evidence of their crime. The source added.

According to preliminary investigations, the criminal motive was to blackmail the kidnapped player's family, demanding a ransom of half a million Libyan dinars, which they couldn't collect.

The family of the deceased and his friends took him to his final resting place on Friday.

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Gunmen kill Libyan footballer for half a million dinars - The Libya Observer

The Peace and Security Council (PSC) of the African Union (AU), at its 703rd meeting held on 20 July 2017, received a briefing on the situation in Libya:

Council took note of the briefing made by the AU High Representative for Libya, former President Jakaya Kikwete of Tanzania, on the situation in Libya and his related activities. Council also took note of the statements made by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Cooperation and Congolese abroad of the Republic of Congo, Jean-Claude Ngakosso, in his capacity as Chair of the AU High-Level Committee on Libya, as well as by the representatives of the State of Libya, the League of Arab States (LAS), the United Nations (UN), the European Union (EU).

Council recalled the report of the 3rd meeting of the AU High Level Committee on Libya convened at the level of Heads of State and Government, on 2 July 2017, as well as PSC earlier communiqus and press statements on the situation in Libya, including the communiqu adopted at its 604th meeting, held on 9 June 2016. Council further recalled the decision of the 27th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of the Union, held in Kigali, Rwanda, in July 2016, reiterating the commitment of the AU to assist the Libyan parties in finding a lasting solution to the crisis in Libya, as well as the decision of the 29th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of the Union, held in Addis Ababa, from 3-4 July 2017, urging the Libyan parties to overcome their political differences.

Council reiterated the AUs concern at the persistent political impasse, as well as at the humanitarian and security situation in Libya, marked by continuing fighting among armed militias, the downfall of state authority and the divisions among Libyas political leaders. In this respect, Council called upon all the Libyan political stakeholders to work together with a view to overcoming the current political impasse and paving the way for durable peace, stability and reconciliation in Libya and the region, as a whole.

Council reaffirmed AUs firm conviction that there is no military solution to the current crisis in Libya, and expressed Africas solidarity with the people of Libya, in this context of political, humanitarian, social, and security challenges.

Council welcomed the efforts made by the Libyan parties to amend, consensually, the Libya Political Agreement (LPA) of 2015, in order to enable its early implementation, in a way that will create conditions conducive to an all-inclusive dialogue for sustainable peace and reconciliation in Libya. In this regard, Council noted the interaction already initiated by the House of Representatives (HoR) and High State Council (HSC) to agree on the scope and modalities of the amendment process, including the selection of their respective representatives in that process, as well as specific clauses of the LPA to be amended. Council encouraged the Libyan parties to urgently take the necessary steps towards the early convening of the Libyan all inclusive dialogue.

Council underlined that the ongoing process between the Libyan parties to amend the LPA is a critical step that may help breaking the current impasse and pave the way to the Libyan all-inclusive dialogue. In this respect, Council noted the offer made by President Denis Sassou Nguesso of the Republic of Congo, Chair of the AU High Level Committee on Libya, to host, as soon as possible, a preparatory meeting of the Libyan National Reconciliation Conference in Brazzaville.

Council called for enhanced contribution by the AU, through the High Representative and the High Level Committee on Libya, in efforts aimed at finding lasting solution to the crisis in Libya. Council reiterated its conviction that the solution to the crisis in Libya lies primarily in the hands of the Libyans themselves, and underlined that the role of the AU and the larger international community is to provide effective support to their efforts.

Council urged for enhanced unity and coordinated action for Libya among all Members of the International community, in particular the Quartet composed of the AU, the LAS, the EU and the UN, to help the Libyan parties in their efforts aimed at overcoming their differences.

Council commended the AU High Level Committee on Libya, chaired by H.E. Denis Sassou Nguesso of Congo and welcomed the visit to Libya by a Ministerial delegation of the Committee, including the Commissioner for Peace and Security, from 31 May to 3 June 2017. Council further commended the AU High Representative for Libya, former President Jakaya Kikwete of Tanzania, for his continued engagement and efforts in the search for a lasting solution to the Libyan crisis.

Council commended the tireless efforts of the neighbouring countries of Libya for their continued involvement in the search for peace, security and reconciliation, in particular within the framework of the High Level Committee. Council further welcomed the outcomes of the 10th and 11th ministerial meetings of countries neighbouring Libya held in Cairo, Egypt on 21 January 2017 and Algiers, Algeria, on 8 May 2017, respectively, with the participation of the AU High Representative for Libya.

Council further commended the efforts deployed by the UN, through its previous Special Representative of the Secretary General, Martin Kobler, and welcomed the appointment of Ghassan Salam, as his successor. Council further commended the EU and the LAS, for their contribution to efforts aimed at ending hostilities and bringing lasting peace to Libya.

Council requested the Commission to take the necessary steps towards enhancing the support to the AU High Representative for Libya, as well as the AU Office for Libya, to enable the AU to play a greater role in efforts aimed at finding a lasting solution to the crisis in Libya.

Council decided to remain actively seized of the matter.

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Press Statement of the 703th PSC meeting on the situation in Libya - ReliefWeb