On Sunday, the Minister of Foreign Affairs for Libya’s Interim Government, Abdel-Hadi Al-Hwaij, asked the United Nations Security Council’s Libya Sanctions Committee to pressure the National Oil Corporation (NOC) to regularly supply power stations with the quantities of gas they need.
In his message to the chair of the Sanctions Committee, Jürgen Schulz, Hwaij said: “Several regions of my country, especially in the eastern, central and southern parts, are facing an increasing deficit in generating electric power. This happens because of the NOC’s declaration of force majeure at several ports.”
Hwaij added that the NOC had prevented gas and diesel shipments from reaching power stations. As a result, several power stations ceased to operate, thus leading to a supply shortage.
He pointed out that such a supply shortage negatively affected the ability of public institutions to provide services to citizens, especially hospitals, health centres, and banks.
He went on saying: “The country is in dire need of these supplies, especially in light of the Coronavirus pandemic and the increasing number of people infected with it and the accompanying shortage of liquidity and frequent interruptions in the electricity supply.”
“For five years, the power stations in the eastern region did not face any technical problems,” Hwaij added. “They were providing electricity services at the best level until an attempt by NOC Chairman Mustafa Sanallah to transfer the electricity problem from the western region to the eastern region for motives likely to be political rather than technical.”
“In addition, the supply of aviation fuel shipments was prevented five months ago under false pretences. This negatively affected the ability to provide humanitarian services, especially flying ambulance services, passenger transport aircraft, and cargo planes,” the foreign minister added. “You know the importance of these services, given that aviation fuel is available in the western region in a clear case of double standard on the part of NOC”
Hwaij said, “The international community is responsible in the event of a humanitarian catastrophe as a result of these unjust measures and the repeated siege imposed on our people in the eastern, southern, and central regions.”
Hwaij concluded his message: “We look forward to your understanding of the humanitarian situation and your urging the NOC not to exploit humanitarian needs to achieve political motives for which the Libyan citizen is the first victim.”