Foreign Minister of Presidential Council, Mohamed Siala, discussed with his Algerian counterpart Abdelkader Messahel the bilateral relations between the two countries and the agenda of the meeting of foreign ministers of the Western Mediterranean 5 + 5 Dialogue, which will commence on Sunday in Algeria. Masahel emphasized his country's support for the continued efforts to achieve security and stability in Libya. For his part, Siala expressed his appreciation to Algeria for hosting the 5 + 5 Dialogue conference, noting that the issues included in the agenda concern the member countries, including the Libyan crisis, combating terrorism and extending security in all countries. Siala arrived in Algeria on Thursday to attend the conference, which includes Libya, Algeria, Tunisia, Mauritania, and Morocco, as well as Italy, France, Portugal, Malta and Spain.
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The Chairman of the Fuel and Gas Crisis Committee, Milad Al-Hajrsi, has called on the Presidential Council and the Ministry of Economy to find a permanent solution to the fuel shortage crisis, stressing that the Brega Oil Marketing Company is not the one to blame for the shortage of fuel. He explained that the failure of distributors to make their delivery is the main cause of the crisis and the overcrowding of the stations now, adding that the lack of communications between the Presidential Council and the distribution companies had a negative impact, especially in the southern region, which suffers from insecurity. Al-Hajrsi said that the National Oil Corporation and the Brega Company have repeatedly appealed to the Presidential Council and the ministries of interior and defence to secure the fuel supply routes, but all their calls ended up flat.
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The residents of Tajoura suburb, east of Tripoli, demanded in a televised statement on Friday the immediate release of their sons detained by the Special Deterrence Force, and to hand over the wounded to their families to complete their medical treatment, holding the Deterrent Force accountable for the safety of their sons. The residents warned that they shall not be liable for what might happen if their demands are not met immediately, stressing their willingness to defuse tension between Souq Al-Jumua and Tajoura, and the promotion of the rule of law, in addition to activating the security services in order to provide security for citizens. Mitiga airport witnessed bloody clashes last week over demands by a brigade from Tajoura to release some prisoners whom the brigade says were “arbitrarily detained by the Special Deterrence Force.”
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European Union foreign ministers will meet in Brussels on Monday with the UN Secretary-General's Special Representative for Libya, Ghassan Salama, to discuss the situation of illegal immigrants in Libya. The Foreign Ministry of France said via its website that the ministers will address the mechanism of improving the conditions of migrants and the possibility of taking measures to combat human trafficking, including sanctions against smugglers and traffickers, as well as promoting the resettlement of people in need of protection to reach safety.
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A delegation of the Ministry of Local Government, including the Mayors of Sirte, Ben Ghashir, Sabha and Zintan, arrived in the United States for a ten-day working visit at the invitation of the US State Department's International Republican Institute (IRI). A source at the Ministry said the four mayors are to participate in an advanced training program for international visitors in the field of leadership. The source clarified that the Office of International Cooperation in the Ministry of Local Government received an invitation from the US Department of State through the Libyan Foreign Ministry for the participation of a number of Libyan municipalities in the training program organized by the International Republican Institute.
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The Medical Convoy Committee of the Ministry of Health has sent a medical convoy in cooperation with Home Doctors Organization to the area of Bir el-Marran, located deep in the Libyan desert, 150 km south of Zintan town. On its Facebook page, the Ministry of Health clarified that the convoy conducted medical checkups in many specialties from inside the health centre in Bir al-Merhan. The doctors participating in the convoy also carried out a training course targeting ancillary medical employees on how to operate a number of medical equipment in the health centre.
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The Chairman of the Presidential Council, Faiz Al-Sarraj, attended the signing ceremony of the health insurance agreement for education sector workers on Saturday between Minister of Education, Othman Abdul Jalil, and Chairman of the Health Insurance Fund, Talal Ajaj. Al-Sarraj said that the health insurance program for teachers is a step forward to provide the appropriate health environment that takes into account the necessary requirements of the teacher. He added that his government is seeking to develop the educational process and to make a fundamental and strategic change to support teachers and enable them to keep pace with the educational developments amid the evolving digital revolution, according to his media office.
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The Chairman of the High National Elections Commission (HNEC), Imad Sayeh, called on the Libyan community abroad to register in the new electoral system to be opened soon. Sayeh pointed out that the HNEC will announce at a press conference, in early February, adequate information regarding the locations and polling stations abroad, and the updates of the registration process at home and abroad, noting that the registration forms abroad will be available as from the 6th of February. Sayeh explained that a shipment of information leaflets on how to register for the elections was supposed to be sent aboard, but the latest incidents of Mitiga airport impeded the delivery process.
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