No Result
View All Result
Tuesday, July 8, 2025
23 °c
Tripoli
24 ° Sat
24 ° Sun
  • Advertising
  • Contact
LibyaHerald
  • Home
  • Libya
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Magazine
  • Advertising
  • Login
  • Register
SUBSCRIBE
  • Home
  • Libya
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Magazine
  • Advertising
  • Login
  • Register
No Result
View All Result
LibyaHerald
No Result
View All Result
Home Libya

NOC chairman Sanalla emphasizes neutrality of NOC to UAE Energy Minister: report and analysis

bySami Zaptia
July 24, 2020
Reading Time: 2 mins read
A A

By Sami Zaptia.

(Logo: NOC).

London, 24 July 2020:

Libya’s state National Oil Corporation (NOC) announced yesterday that its chairman, Mustafa Sanalla, discussed Libya’s oil blockade, including the presence of foreign mercenaries at its oil installations, with UAE Energy Minister Suhail al-Mazroui.

During the discussion that took place yesterday, the NOC reported that Sanalla re-emphasized the NOC’s neutrality. He also re-emphasized the NOC’s unswerving commitment to the Libyan national interest, to lifting the blockade as soon as possible, as well as its hope that a military escalation in the Gulf of Sirte might be avoided.

 

RELATED POSTS

Construction work progressing at Benghazi’s new Tika airport

UAE Civil Aviation delegation visits Benghazi’s Benina Airport

Analysis

NOC chairman Sanalla has always attempted to project his and the NOC’s role as a neutral technocratic one.

However, the fact that Libya’s NOC chairman is discussing the presence of foreign mercenaries on Libyan soil, the country’s ‘‘national interest’’, lifting the political blockade and military escalation -with another Energy Minister – is in itself revealing of where Libya is today.

On the one hand, it shows the weakness of Libyan sovereignty, the Libyan state and its institutions and its vulnerability to outside interference – since the 2011 overthrow of the Qaddafi regime.

Sanalla also fails – or chooses not to – understand that oil is very much political. He insists that Libya’s oil not be used as leverage and a bargaining tool in its internal political wheeling and dealing.

He also insists that his NOC be allowed to pump and export oil – while the politicians sort out how its revenue is distributed.

The problem is that in Libya, all its political stakeholders and entities suffer a degree of contestable legitimacy.

The government in Tripoli (GNA) says it is the only internationally recognized Libyan government. The parliament in Tobruk (the House of Representatives – HOR) says it is the only internationally recognized Libyan parliament. Technically, both are correct.

The UN-brokered Libyan Political Agreement (LPA), signed in Skhirat, Morocco in 2015, was supposed to lead to a Government of National Accord (GNA) in the short term until a constitution was drafted and passed by parliament and elections were held.

None happened. Parliament refused to approve the Faiez Serraj government of accord. The five-person Presidency Council is supposed to operate consensually. It does not. They accuse Serraj of acting unilaterally and contest his unilateral decisions and decrees. Meanwhile, Libya remains in limbo with interim/temporary governments and parliaments of limited, contestable, and ever-decreasing legitimacy as the days pass by.

Add to this lack of legitimacy and effectiveness by Libya’s political institutions huge foreign interference in its affairs. From financial and intelligence support, to drone support, to fighter planes, weapons and mercenaries – and maybe troops – foreign interference in Libya has been pouring into both sides.

With no monopoly on the use of force or political mandate to provide a more reasonably accepted degree of political legitimacy, who defines what is Libya’s ‘‘national interest’’ beyond Sanalla’s technocratic interpretation – is also contestable.

Sanalla is forced into raising such non-oil related matters with UAE’s Energy Minister because the UAE is considered, to varying degrees, as the main supporter of the Khalifa Hafter forces, the eastern-based Libyan parliament and its head Ageela Saleh.

Sanalla is hoping that his ‘‘technocratic’’ counterpart may appreciate his point of view. However, why would it be in the UAE’s interest to have Libya’s oil production – more oil – on the current world markets – is not clear. Matters of oil are very much political – as well as technocratic.

Tags: featuredforeign interferenceKhalifa HafterNOC chairman Mustafa SanallaUAE United Arab Emirates

Related Posts

Libya Herald exclusive: Responding to the prime minister’s call yesterday to the private sector and banks to do more, leading businessman Husni Bey responds
Business

Op-Ed: Reputational Damage Is Worse Than Losing Money

July 2, 2025
Libyan Russian Economic Forum starts in St. Petersburg
Libya

Libyan Russian Economic Forum starts in St. Petersburg

June 27, 2025
MoI establishes Elections Security and Protection Department
Libya

Aldabaiba and Menfi stress use of polling feedback to establish consensus basis for constitutional process: report and analysis

June 26, 2025
GNU to take oath at Benghazi HoR session and budget to be approved at Tripoli session: GNU
Libya

“There is no state built by gangs and criminality, it’s built by engineers, youth, consultants, security, police and army”: Aldabaiba

June 23, 2025
GNU to take oath at Benghazi HoR session and budget to be approved at Tripoli session: GNU
Libya

187 new security posts taken over from militias – PM declares victory for the state as all vital Tripoli sites come under its exclusive control for the first time since 2011

June 19, 2025
Interior Ministry’s Diplomatic Missions Protection personnel receiving training in Ukraine
Libya

The Interior Ministry had spent LD 50 billion in 13 years with no result: Acting Interior Minister Trabelsi

June 17, 2025
Next Post
New south Tripoli circular bypass road under consideration

New south Tripoli circular bypass road under consideration

Libya Wings confirms resumption of one-way flights: Misrata-Istanbul as of 26 July

Libya Wings confirms resumption of one-way flights: Misrata-Istanbul as of 26 July

ADVERTISEMENT

Top Stories

  • Libya Herald exclusive: Responding to the prime minister’s call yesterday to the private sector and banks to do more, leading businessman Husni Bey responds

    Op-Ed: Reputational Damage Is Worse Than Losing Money

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • All imports into Libya must be paid for through official bank transactions

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • A 247,000-bpd oil production increase would achieve US$ 6 billion annually to enhance ability to meet FX demand, maintain strength of LD and achieve economic balance: CBL ‎

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • CBL demands imports are conducted through official banking instruments and the elimination of the FX black market

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Libya’s economy showed recovery in 2024, remained resilient despite reliance on hydrocarbons and ongoing political and security instability: World Bank

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
ADVERTISEMENT
LibyaHerald

The Libya Herald first appeared on 17 February 2012 – the first anniversary of the Libyan Revolution. Since then, it has become a favourite go-to source on news about Libya, for many in Libya and around the world, regularly attracting millions of hits.

Recent News

A 247,000-bpd oil production increase would achieve US$ 6 billion annually to enhance ability to meet FX demand, maintain strength of LD and achieve economic balance: CBL ‎

Op-Ed: Reputational Damage Is Worse Than Losing Money

Sitemap

  • Why subscribe?
  • Terms & Conditions
  • FAQs
  • Copyright & Intellectual Property Rights
  • Subscribe now

Newsletters

    Be the first to know latest important news & events directly to your inbox.

    Sending ...

    By signing up, I agree to our TOS and Privacy Policy.

    © 2022 LibyaHerald - Powered by Sparx Solutions.

    Welcome Back!

    Login to your account below

    Forgotten Password? Sign Up

    Create New Account!

    Fill the forms below to register

    *By registering into our website, you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy.
    All fields are required. Log In

    Retrieve your password

    Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

    Log In
    No Result
    View All Result
    • Login
    • Sign Up
    • Libya
    • Business
    • Advertising
    • About us
    • BusinessEye Magazine
    • Letters
    • Features
    • Why subscribe?
    • FAQs
    • Contact

    © 2022 LibyaHerald - Powered by Sparx Solutions.

    This website uses cookies. By continuing to use this website you are giving consent to cookies being used. Visit our Privacy and Cookie Policy.