NOC welcomes Aldabaiba’s reversal of Oil Minister’s decision to suspend chairman Sanalla

By Sami Zaptia.

London, 21 September 2021:

Libya’s state National Oil Corporation (NOC) yesterday welcomed the decision by Prime Minister Abd Alhamid Aldabaiba (No. 292/2021) to withdraw the decision of the Minister of Oil (No. 35/2021) to suspend the head of the NOC chairman Mustafa Sanalla from his post. The NOC stated that it now considers all decisions, correspondence and measures taken in this regard to have no legal effect.

The NOC stated that the decision comes within the framework of the strenuous efforts made by the Prime Minister to address some of the disputes that have emerged recently between the newly created Ministry of Oil and the NOC, which led to work confusion and gave an opportunity for some stalkers in the sector to try to destabilize and undermine production, which may negatively reflect on the recovery of the economy.

In this regard, the NOC affirmed its full commitment to all the instructions of the Prime Minister in particular, and its adherence to professional work in accordance with its competencies that are authorized by law, and that it is ready to turn the page of the past and work together with the Ministry of Oil for the public interest and achieve the requirements of the stage, each according to its competencies.

Based on the above, the NOC said that it is also waiting for the Ministry of Oil to take the initiative to put aside disputes, to rise above some practices, and to take the initiative to assist it in providing the necessary budgets in order to achieve the sector’s goals represented in developing reserves, modernizing the dilapidated infrastructure of the oil sector, and realizing the objectives of production, and achieving the highest revenues for the state treasury. This it said was ‘‘in order that we all contribute to creating stability, rebuilding the country, providing jobs and achieving what the Libyan people aspire to.

‘‘Our strength is in our unity, our weakness is in our differences and our division’’, the NOC statement concluded.

For a fuller report and analysis of the Aoun-Sanalla public spat see:

Aldabaiba’s Aoun-Sanalla crisis summit: Kiss and make up or slap on the wrist? | (libyaherald.com)

Sanalla hits back at Oil Minister Aoun – Aldabaiba to decide their fate in Sunday meeting | (libyaherald.com)

NOC chairman Sanalla suspended from his post and referred for investigation by Oil Minister – his replacement declines the temporary post | (libyaherald.com)