The European Union Delegation have urged all Libyan leaders to put national interests first, deescalate tensions, refrain from the use or threat of force, and lift the force majeure on all oil fields.
This came shortly after Libya's central bank governor Sadiq al-Kabir said he and other senior bank staff had been forced to leave the country to “protect our lives” from potential attacks, according to a report by the Financial Times.
On Friday, the EU Delegation and the diplomatic missions of EU Member States in Libya said they are gravely concerned about the deterioration of the situation in Libya amidst growing political fragmentation in the absence of unified institutions.
In a statement, the delegation urged all parties to engage constructively in good faith and seek a negotiated solution.
“We reaffirm our readiness to actively support this process, including to restore Libya’s path to the formation of a unified government and to national elections and call on all Libyan leaders to put national interests first, deescalate tensions, refrain from the use or threat of force, and lift the force majeure on all oil fields,” it added.
The delegation also warned that the intimidation of High Council of State members and CBL employees, the closure of oil fields, and disruptions in banking services are exacerbating an already fragile situation, threatening the economic lifelines of the Libyan people.
It then expressed support to UNSMIL’s call for urgent steps to deescalate and welcome the initiative to convene an emergency meeting of all relevant stakeholders to peacefully resolve the Central Bank crisis.
On Thursday, the Central Bank of Libya (CBL) administration, which is loyal to the Tripoli authorities, said it has regained control of all banking systems, after it was disrupted by the previous administration of the bank.
Tensions in Tripoli have forced al-Kabir to flee the country.
Al-Kabir told the Financial Times via telephone that “militias are threatening and terrifying bank staff and are sometimes abducting their children and relatives to force them to go to work,” referring to the kidnapping of director of his office, Rasem Najjar, and three employees.
The crisis over the control of the Central Bank of Libya renewed when the Tripoli-based Presidential Council moved this month to oust al-Kabir and replace him with a rival board.
The decision came against the wishes of Parliament which came to support al-Kabir by deciding to shut oilfields, suspend oil production and exports—the main source of revenue of the country.
However, al-Kabir chose to leave the country.
He said attempts by interim Prime Minister Abdulhamid al-Dbeibah to replace him were illegal, and contravened UN negotiated accords on control of the central bank.
