Libya orders detention of oil and gas minister on financial corruption charges News
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Libya orders detention of oil and gas minister on financial corruption charges

The Libyan Attorney General’s Office ordered the detention of oil and gas minister Khalifa Abdul Sadiq on financial corruption charges Wednesday. The office stated that Abdul Sadiq violated the law by coercing a corporate accountant to approve a document that authorized an unidentified foreign company to spend 457.6 million euros and acted inconsistently with his duties.

This is not the first time a Libyan minister has been suspended. Previously, Libya’s Administrative Control Authority suspended Abdul Sadiq’s counterpart, oil and gas minister Mohamed Aoun, from March 25 to May 12.

Media personnel in Libya have pointed out previous instances of corruption in the country. Ahmed Al-Sennusi, chief editor of the newspaper “Sada” and host of the TV program “Flusna” on Al-Wasat TV, previously published documents exposing corruption within the economy and trade ministry. Television host Ahmed al-Sanussi also pointed out alleged corruption within the ministry. 

Since the NATO-backed revolt in 2011, Libya has been in turmoil with competing militias ruling different regions. The most recent conflict ended in 2020. The legitimacy of the interim government formed in 2021 has also faced scrutiny.

Previously on February 15, head of the UN Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) Abdoulaye Bathily warned that Libya’s political stakeholders must form a unified government to hold credible national elections. Bathily stated that the lack of a political agreement on forming a unified government may compromise unity and disintegrate Libya. US Alternative Representative for Special Political Affairs in the UN Robert Wood expressed concern over the influence Libya’s armed groups have on the country’s politics and security. He called on Libya to “[take] steps toward military reunification that could help reduce criminality in the south, secure Libya’s borders [] and prevent spillover of regional turmoil.”

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