The Libyan Minister of Economy and Trade, Mohamed Al-Hwaij said that a measure to ban foreigners from practicing purchases directly or on behalf of others, or renting bakeries and shops for themselves, n addition to prohibiting real estate brokerage work, “aims to organise foreign labor in the local market and control the markets for goods and services.”
In exclusive statements to Al-Araby Al-Jadeed, Al-Hwaij added that its lack of organisation threatens national security, given the spread of illegal immigration in recent years.
Days ago, Al-Hwaij issued a decision banning the import of medicines and medical products, after one-third of their production date has passed.
The statement indicated that the Municipal Guard, the Customs Authority, and all relevant law enforcement agencies would take the necessary legal measures against violators of the decision.
In March, the European Union Border Assistance Mission in Libya (EUBAM) expressed its commitment to providing training and capacity-building courses for Libyan customs officers.
EUBAM has concluded a training course for customs officers on fighting the counterfeit and illicit trade of pharmaceuticals.
According to a statement, the Project Manager, Massimo Antonelli said that “customs are the first watchers at the border to look at the incoming counterfeits.”
The statement added that, “Libya needs to improve its enforcement capacities against counterfeit goods, to fully control the import and export of fake and dangerous products.”
“We are very committed to capacity building of the customs”, said Luis Puig-Saenz, Head of EUBAM’s Boarder Management Unit.
In December, the Head of the National Commission for Human Rights in Libya (NCHRL), Ahmed Hamza warned against the continued spread of counterfeit medicines in the country.
Hamza said that the spread “is another disaster added to the series of disasters committed against the Libyan people.”
“These inferior medicines do not meet Libyan standards,” he added. Hamza also recalled the Attorney General’s statement in exposing the use of potassium bromate in bread.
“Stop the spread of these medicaments before it is too late. Stop the slow killing of the Libyan people,” he concluded.
