53 members of the Libyan High Council of State (HCS) said in a joint statement that the suspension of the Minister of Oil and Gas in the Government of National Unity, Mohamed Aoun, came due to his opposition to suspicious deals.
They condemned the measures taken against Aoun, which led to his suspension from duty by the Administrative Control Authority.
They also expressed surprise at the swift appointment of his replacement, questioning the prearranged decision made by Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibah.
The HCS members denounced the unprecedented collusion of regulatory institutions with the government and warn that this will undermine their watchdog role in fighting corruption.
The statement called for Aoun’s immediate reinstatement and the withdrawal of his suspension decision, urging legal measures to restore the situation to its pre-suspension state.
The Libyan Administrative Control Authority, on Monday, enacted the suspension of the Minister of Oil and Gas, Mohamed Aoun, of the Government of National Unity (GNU). This decision is a response to “public interest” requirements and is aligned with findings from an ongoing investigation into legal violations identified in case number 178, as detailed in decision number 347 for the year 2024. This action was announced via the authority’s official Facebook page and is grounded in Article 31 of Law No. 20 of 2013, concerning the establishment and regulations of the Administrative Control Authority.
The specifics of the case or the nature of the violations under scrutiny were not disclosed in the announcement.
Furthermore, Abdullah Qadarbuah, the head of the Administrative Control Authority, has also placed directors at the Libyan Foreign Bank under suspension, pending further investigation. These include the suspension of the Contributions Department Manager, identified as H.A.A, and the Central Director of the Bank’s Contributions, H.M.A, affiliated with Shanqiti Bank. This decision is motivated by the public interest and is based on the findings of committee report No. (619-21) for the year 2024.
