Mohamed Aoun, the Minister of Oil and Gas in the Tripoli-based government of Abd Alhamid Aldabaiba, denied circulating news of his ministry’s approval or prevention of two British companies from investing in an oil project in Libya. The denial came in a call to Libya Herald, through the ministry’s media advisor.
The two companies were named in Libyan media as the Oil and Gas Systems Limited Company and the Oil and Gas Services Company Limited.
The oil minister stressed that he is not aware that there are companies from Britain or other countries that have been prevented for years from working in Libya because they did not obtain the approval of the Privatization and Investment Board (PIB).
He said this matter (permission for foreign companies to invest in Libya) relates to the PIB itself and has nothing to do with the Ministry of Oil in its terms of reference. Aoun added that the Ministry of Oil operates according to the Libyan Oil Law, which specifies it has terms of reference and mechanisms for dealing with others at home and abroad.
Minister Aoun pointed out that the Ministry of Oil works with full transparency and expresses its opinion publicly on matters related to the oil sector. He said all the news of the ministry is published on its website and platforms, and journalists can communicate directly with its information office, so there is no need to leak news. This is especially so if the name and role of those who leaked the news to the press are not mentioned.
