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The Head of the Law Department of the Supreme Council of Law issued a legal opinion on 8 March declaring all NGOs and civil society organizations that have not been set up in accordance with Law No.9 of 2001 to be invalidly set-up and their registration deemed void.

However, the validity of the decision was widely questioned with different interpretations.

The decision was seen as extreme and has caused much debate in Libya in general and amongst NGOs. This is especially so in a year that Libya hopes to hold elections and the fundamental connection between NGOs, free speech and debate and free and fair elections. NGOs are supposed to be Non-Governmental Organisations, independent from government control or influence.

They play a role in checking government, parliament, and politicians in general in terms of accountability and transparency. Hence there is a tension and a contradiction between independent NGOs and state funding and control.

Commenting on 15 March to Libya Herald on the material effect of the legal opinion, leading Libyan law firm, Tumi Law Firm, said the radicalness of this legal opinion is reduced in effect upon realizing that Legal Opinions issued by the Law Department are only binding on whom they are directly addressing and have named in title or in self-capacity. In this case, it is the chairman of the Civil Society Commission and none other.

Nonetheless, Tumi Law Firm continued, such opinion ought to not be ignored or overlooked. It had warned that the legal opinion was likely to resurface in other, perhaps, more binding forms.

Today, Tumi Law Firm explained that As of 13.03.2023, the Director of the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation has declared the Legal Opinion of the Law Department No. 37,16,2 to have a binding effect.

Therefore, the registration of all non-governmental organisation that are not registered pursuant to the provisions of Law No. 19 for the year 2001 are deemed void and their existence in Libya, as a consequence, is seen as invalid.

Tumi Law Firm understands the severity of such a decision, and is willing to extend its legal assistance to those affected by the decision.

Legal opinion voiding all NGOs whilst not to be ignored, only binding on intended target: Tumi Law Firm (libyaherald.com)

Recent legal opinion on foreign investment in Libya does not impose blanket ban in oil sector: Tumi Law Firm (libyaherald.com)

Top law firm joins new British LibyanBusiness Association (libyaherald.com)

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In the year that Libya hopes to hold elections, decision declaring all ... - Libya Herald

The Deputy Prime Minister and Acting Minister of Health, Ramadan Abu Janah, discussed on Tuesday with the President of the American Chamber of Commerce in Libya (AmCham), Debbie Hirst, and representatives of the two companies Roche and MSD participating in the public tender to provide the countrys needs for medical supplies, strengthening common means of cooperation in the health sector.

The Minister thanked Roche and MSD, pioneers in the pharmaceutical industry, for their constant keenness to enhance cooperation with Libya in the pharmaceutical industry, in a way that supports the Ministrys strategy to improve the level of health care.

The meeting dealt with discussing the implementation of the states public bid, where the Minister confirmed that the procedures apply to complete the bid in accordance with the legal context.

During the meeting, proposals for cooperation to advance the fields of scientific research, training, clinical research, and surveys, especially in the field of oncology, were discussed.

Speaking to Libya Herald about the meeting, AmCham Libya president Debbie Hirst said We were pleased to have the opportunity to meet with the Acting Minister of Health and his team during a recent visit of our member MSD (Merck) to Tripoli. He expressed his desire for Libyans to receive the worlds best healthcare, and how U.S.companies can help support that. AmCham committed to supporting the Ministers interest in engaging more actively with U.S.companies in the healthcare space.

The healthcare area is complicated in Libya, and historically has been one of the sectors that causes challenges for our members, for several reasons. We are pleased with what we are seeing from the current team at the Ministry of Health and are optimistic that things will continue to develop positively.

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Health Ministry discusses further cooperation with global drugs ... - Libya Herald

The following is the March 7, 2023, Congressional Research Service In Focus report, Libya and U.S. Policy.

Twelve years after a 2011 uprising that toppled longtime authoritarian leader Muammar al Qadhafi, Libya has yet to make a transition to stable governing arrangements. Elections and diplomacy have produced a series of interim governments (Figure 1), but militias, local leaders, and subnational coalitions backed by competing foreign patrons have remained the most powerful arbiters of public affairs. The postponement of planned elections in 2021, Libyans continuing lack of consensus over constitutional and legal arrangements, the potential fragility of a United Nations (U.N.)-backed ceasefire, and the reemergence of institutional rivalry are prolonging Libyas instability and pose challenges for U.S. decisionmakers.

Successive U.S. Administrations have sought to prevent Libya from serving as a permissive environment for transnational terrorist groups and have taken different approaches to conflict and competition among Libyans. The Biden Administration supports the holding of new elections in Libya and has used U.S. influence to bolster U.N.-led mediation efforts to that end. Congress has appropriated funds to enable U.S. diplomacy and aid programs, and some Members have called for more assertive U.S. engagement.

War, Ceasefire, and a Deferred Election

Conflict reerupted in Libya in April 2019, when a coalition of armed groups led by Qadhafi-era military defector Khalifa Haftar known as the Libyan National Army (LNA, alt. Libyan Arab Armed Forces, LAAF), attempted to seize the capital, Tripoli, from the internationally recognized Government of National Accord (GNA). Russia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Egypt, and leaders of Libyas House of Representatives (HOR, an interim parliament last elected in 2014) backed the LNA. With Turkish military support, the GNA and anti-LNA western Libyan militias forced the LNA to withdraw. Libya has remained divided since, with foreign forces still present, and opposing coalitions separated by a line of control west of Sirte (Figure 1). During 2020, multilateral diplomatic initiatives helped achieve a ceasefire, and the U.N. has deployed civilian monitors at Libyans request.

In 2021, members of a U.N.-appointed Libyan Political Dialogue Forum (LPDF) and the HOR approved an interim executive authority and Government of National Unity (GNU) to replace the GNA, with a mandate to serve until elections or through June 2022. In 2021, the U.N. Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) facilitated discussions among LPDF members, the HOR, and the High Council of State (HCS, an advisory representative body) in an attempt to establish a constitutional and legal basis for parliamentary and presidential elections planned for December 24, 2021. However, disputes over candidacy criteria and constitutional and legal issues persisted, leading to an indefinite postponement of the elections. U.N. and U.S. officials have sought to preserve momentum toward elections, amid contending Libyan proposals and initiatives. Figure 1. Libya: Areas of Influence and Timeline

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Report to Congress on Libya and U.S. Policy - USNI News

Background

Libya has struggled to rebuild state institutions since the ouster and subsequent death of former leader Muammar al-Qaddafi in October 2011. Libyas transitional government ceded authority to the newly elected General National Congress (GNC) in July 2012, but the GNC faced numerous challenges over the next two years, including the September 2012 attack by Islamist militants on the U.S. consulate in Benghazi and the spread of the Islamic State and other armed groups throughout the country.

In May 2014, Haftar launched Operation Dignity, a campaign conducted by the LNA to attack Islamist militant groups across eastern Libya, including in Benghazi. To counter this movement, Islamist militants and armed groupsincluding Ansar al-Sharia formed a coalition called Libya Dawn. Eventually, fighting broke out at Tripolis international airport between the Libya Dawn coalition, which controlled Tripoli and much of western Libya, and the Dignity coalition, which controlled parts of Cyrenaica and Benghazi in eastern Libya, and a civil war emerged.

The battle for control over Libya crosses tribal, regional, political, and even religious lines. Each coalition has created governing institutions and named military chiefsand each has faced internal fragmentation and division.In an effort to find a resolution to the conflict and create a unity government, then-UN Special Envoy to Libya Bernandino Leon, followed by Martin Kobler, facilitated a series of talks between the Tobruk-based HoR and the Tripoli-based GNC. The talks resulted in the creation of Libyan Political Agreement and the UN-supported GNA. The GNA has continued to face obstacles to creating a stable, unified government in Libya.

Taking advantage of the widespread political instability, armed Islamist groups, including Ansar al-Shariathe terrorist group allegedly responsible for the attack on the U.S. consulate in 2012and the Islamic State, have used the country as a hub to coordinate broader regional violence, further complicating efforts to create a unity government.

As a result of the continued fighting, the UN Refugee Agency estimates that more than 217,000 people have been internally displaced and approximately 1.3 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance in Libya.

Concerns

The United States, European allies, and the United Nations continued to express concern over the permanent fracture of Libya as armed militant groups have tried to divide the country along political and tribal lines. Moreover, in the absence of a primary governing body, migration and human trafficking have remained problematic.

A member of the Organization for Petroleum Exporting Companies (OPEC), Libyan oil revenues constitute more than 80 percent of Libyas total exports. As armed groups continue to fight over oil fields and restrict production, concerns have also increased over whether the country will be able to support itself economically.

Recent Developments

The UN-backed Government of National Accord (GNA) declared a state of emergency in Libyas capital city of Tripoli in September 2018, less than a week after a UN cease-fire went into effect. Attempts to create a unity government have met with limited success as the House of Representatives (HoR)based in Libyas east and a key supporter of Libyan National Army's (LNA)leader General Khalifa Haftarand the GNA compete for power. Both governing bodies have created their own central banks and have consolidated control over oil fields. In May 2018, French President Emmanuel Macron convened a meeting between Haftar, GNA leader Fayez Seraj, and parliamentary leaders to discuss an end to the conflict and future elections. Though the rival groups agreed to hold elections in December 2018, UN Special Envoy to Libya Ghassan Salame said elections would be postponed until the spring of 2019.

Rival armed groups, including militia groups loyal to the LNAs Haftara Tobruk-backed former Qaddafi loyalistand the GNAs security forceshave continued to fight over access to and control of Libyas National Oil Corporation (NOC), as well as regional oil fields. In December 2018, the NOC closed Libyas largest oil field, El Sharara, due to security concerns; the LNA has since declared that the field is secure and ready to resume operations, but NOC Chairman Mustafa Sanalla refused to restart production in February 2019, stating that the field was still unsafe due to militant activity.

The presence of the self-proclaimed Islamic State, which established a foothold in the country in February 2015 and quickly gained control of the coastal city of Sirteformerly the groups most significant stronghold outside of Syria and Iraqhas further complicated the struggle for control. In July 2018, Haftar announced that the LNA had recaptured the city of Derna, the last outpost of the Islamic State militants in eastern Libya. However, the group continues to operate throughout the country and conducted an attack on Libyas foreign ministry in December 2018.

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Instability in Libya | Global Conflict Tracker

Libya entered 2021 as a divided nation aspiring for recovery and healing. With intensifying conflict and a blockade of oil terminals and fields, the economy registered one of the worst performances in recent records for the most part of 2020. Starting in mid-September, a rapprochement between political/military factions brought much-needed relief to the economy, capping the GDP plunge at 31.3%, annually. The election of a unity government in early 2021 has rekindled hope, but the reunification agenda faces formidable challenges ahead.

For the most part of 2020, the performance of the Libyan economy was the worst in recent records. Even with the rebounding oil proceeds in the last quarter, the economy could not recover its earlier losses, and registered a 31.3% real decrease in GDP. On average, oil production in 2020 is estimated at 405,000 barrels per day, roughly a third of actual output in 2019.

With looming uncertainties, projecting future economic trends is a daunting task. However, With major maintenance problems still pending, oil production is projected to reach 1.1 million barrel per day (MBD) in 2021. This would lead to a rebound in real GDP growth, to 67% in 2021. In terms of level of GDP, the economy would still be 23% smaller than that in 2010, the year prior to the start of the conflict.

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Libya's Economic Update April 2021 - World Bank