The US Ambassador to Libya, Richard Norland, has welcomed the ongoing efforts to start the reunification process of the Central Bank of Libya (CBL), describing it a “historic step, which will contribute to Libya’s financial and political stability”.
This came during his meeting with the Governor of the CBL, Sadiq Al-Kabir, on Friday.
“We encourage the CBL team to continue working in a transparent and committed manner to complete the process expeditiously,” Norland tweeted.
For her part, the UN Secretary General’s Special Adviser on Libya, Stephanie Williams, has urged CBL to move forward with the implementation of the roadmap for its reunification to strengthen the financial and political stability that the country urgently needs.
Libya had two parallel central banks during the civil war, which ended in 2020. One was run by the Tripoli-based and internationally recognized Government of National Accord, and the other by Gen. Khalifa Haftar’s Libyan National Army in the east.
In other news, the Government of National Unity’s Interior Ministry warned against potential terror attacks as the army has arrested a criminal cell linked to extremists in Algeria and Mali.
The ministry, which is based in the capital, Tripoli, said that “there are possibilities of terrorist attacks that may target gatherings, public facilities, security headquarters and vital targets.”
Local media quoted the ministry as saying that it called on its affiliates to “tighten the guard and monitor suspects and arrivals.”
In turn, National Army forces managed to “re-arrest five extremists who succeeded in escaping from the (Reform and Rehabilitation) Institution in the Gernada region.”
Major General Khaled al-Mahjoub revealed that “his forces arrested a criminal gang that trades in weapons and deals with extremist groups in Algeria and Mali.”