Saturday, December 14

Norland: We Support ‘Credible’ Roadmap for National Elections

HoR Agila Saleh, center, US Special Envoy Richard Norland, Right, and Charge d’Affaires Berndt meeting in Benghazi 25 November 2024.

Benghazi_ “I underscored full US support for UNSMIL’s vital role in facilitating the political process to lead to unifying governance and a credible roadmap for successful national elections,” the US Special Envoy Ambassador Richard Norland said on Monday after meeting with Mr. Agila Saleh, the speaker of the Libyan House of Representatives.

He discussed with Mr. Saleh “the importance of strengthening the independence and integrity of the Central Bank of Libya and other key economic institutions”. “Consensus-based budgetary and financial policies to stabilize Libya’s economy” is also important, he added according to a statement posted on the X platform of the US Embassy in Libya.

Libya plunged into a crisis when in 18 August the Presidential Council replaced the Governor of the Central Bank and the Board of Directors, a step that was rejected by the House of Representatives and the High Council of State. On 26 August, the HoR-appointed “government” and HoR Speaker Saleh separately declared the suspension of oil production and exports. Libya practically remained without a central bank and the banking system came to a standstill.

The crisis lasted until 2 October when eventually a new CBL Governor and Deputy Governor took office following consultations by the High Council of State and endorsement by the House of Representatives.

Mr. Norland stopped by the city of Benghazi after visiting the city of Sebha in southern Libya.

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