Belqasim Haftar, the General Director of the Libyan Development and Reconstruction Fund, inked new contracts today with the prominent Egyptian company Arab Contractors to spearhead two major projects in the city of Derna.
According to a statement released on the Fund’s Facebook page, the first project focuses on rehabilitating, developing, and cleansing Derna’s seaport. The second involves building a bridge at the city’s entrance, connecting the city to Al Qubbah.
“This vital step is part of the ongoing mission to continue the journey of building, development, and reconstruction across all Libyan cities and regions,” the Fund stated.
Previously, the Fund engaged Arab Contractors for several other projects, including the construction of multiple bridges in areas of the Green Mountain region affected by floods and two additional bridge projects in Tobruk.
Notably, a Libyan criminal court has sentenced twelve officials responsible for the management of the country’s dam facilities to prison terms ranging from nine to twenty-seven years, in addition to ordering them to pay the determined compensation.
The Office of the Attorney General stated that the Derna Criminal Court reviewed the cases against sixteen officials implicated in the 2023 Derna flood incident. Following the completion of the investigation, the court delivered its verdict on Sunday, convicting twelve of the accused.
The sentences are as follows:
The first, second, third, sixth, seventh, eleventh, and twelfth defendants were each sentenced to nine years in prison and ordered to pay the determined compensation.
The tenth defendant received a fifteen-year prison sentence along with the payment of the determined compensation.
The thirteenth defendant was sentenced to twenty-seven years in prison.
The fourteenth defendant received a twenty-six-year prison sentence and was ordered to pay the determined compensation.
The fifteenth defendant was handed a nineteen-year prison sentence along with the payment of the determined compensation.
The sixteenth defendant received a twenty-four-year prison sentence and was ordered to pay the determined compensation.
The court acquitted the fourth, fifth, eighth, and ninth defendants. Additionally, the tenth, thirteenth, and fourteenth defendants were ordered to return funds obtained through illicit means.
Earlier this month, the Libyan Minister of Education, Jumaa Khalifa Al-Jadid, inaugurated a new school in the Eastern Coastal district of Derna. This step came as a significant development aimed at enhancing educational facilities.
According to the Libyan government’s media office, this new educational institution features 12 classrooms and a fully equipped laboratory, with complete sanitary facilities set to be furnished in the upcoming days.
Education Supervisor of Derna, Abdul Hamid Hammad, highlighted that this school is the first in a series of new schools planned to open soon in various neighborhoods of Derna, including Al-Salam, Karsa, and Martuba districts. This initiative is part of a broader effort to expand educational opportunities and infrastructure across the city.
Last month, Kamal Abubakr Al-Siwi, Head of the General Authority for Research and Identification of Missing Persons in Libya, announced that 5,000 bodies and remains have been discovered and verified in Derna to date.
