NORTH AFRICA DESK

Earlier this month, Mohamed Aoun was said to be reinstated as Minister of Oil & Gas. However, he has been unable to assume his duties as the acting O&G Minister Khalifa Abdulsadek continues to occupy his seat.

Despite facing strong opposition from various Libyan entities, the National Oil Corporation (NOC) is pushing ahead with its decision to develop the NC7 gas field through an international consortium led by Italy’s energy giant ENI.

After conducting site visits and interviews with officials, diplomats, airport personnel, and security actors in both western and eastern Libya, our team has uncovered exclusive details about a new migration route that could be backed by a foreign actor to create disruptions ahead of U.S. elections.

Launched in March 2020 by the EU's Foreign Affairs Council and in response to recommendations from the Berlin Conference on Libya, Operation Irini aims to enforce arms embargo decisions following the armed conflict in Libya.

The reinstatement of Libya's Minister of Oil and Gas raises questions about transparency and governance within the country's hydrocarbons sector, especially as Libya prepares for its first major licensing round in over 25 years.

Libyan investments across Africa are increasingly at risk of being nationalised by governments that are seeing opportunities to leverage mismanagement in Libyan institutions for their own gain.

There have been a number of unconfirmed reports emerging regarding non-Western International Oil Corporations being in direct contact with Benghazi-based authorities to develop the region’s vast energy resources.

Despite the High National Elections Commission's (HNEC) preparations, a combination of financial hurdles, political infighting, and security concerns is casting a shadow over the electoral process.