Who will win the struggle for leadership at Libya’s Ministry of Oil & Gas?

In early June, Mohamed Aoun was said to be reinstated as Oil & Gas Minister by the Administrative Control Authority (ACA) – Resolution No. 492/2024 – with the approval of Government of National Unity (GNU) Prime Minister Abdulhamid Dabaiba. However, he has appealed to the ACA for urgent intervention so as to enable him to assume his duties as the acting Oil & Gas Minister Khalifa Abdulsadek continues to occupy his seat.

A closer look

Our previous Energy Insights reporting highlighted the challenges brought by a potential return of Mohamed Aoun to the Ministry of Oil and Gas. In addition to making the fate of the NC7 area deal or the new round of licensing for exploration activities unpredictable, it was argued that the end of Aoun’s suspension would bring uncertainty to the oil and gas sector’s governance.

This is exactly what is happening now as his temporary replacement, Khalifa Abdulsadek, continues to “assume the minister’s powers and issue decisions in the capacity of the designated Minister of Oil, creating conflict and duplication of decisions,” as per Mohamed Aoun’s letter to the ACA. This situation shows that the decision to reinstate Aoun, following the dismissal of his case, was far from consensual.

As previously explained, sources within the National Oil Corporation (NOC) had shared their enthusiasm regarding Abdulsadek, in that in his two months in office the collaboration between his ministry and the NOC experienced a positive transformation. Compared to Aoun, Abdulsadek is viewed as easier to work with and more likely to approve of projects or deals like the NC7 area – a situation that benefitted Dabaiba.

In turn, Aoun seems to have come back to the scene more vindictive and quite resentful of his suspension in March – Resolution No. 347/2024. In his letter to the ACA, he has accused Abdulsadek of “violating legislations and laws in force,” arguing that acting ministers’ duties should be confined to running day-to-day ministerial affairs instead of shaking up the institution with new appointments or structural changes. Instead, Aoun noted, Abdulsadek has disqualified two director generals as well as other employees during his time in office, in addition to “hampering the work of the Gas Burning Committee” and ending the “secondment of the director general for quality, health, and environmental safety.”