Libya: The Libyan oil ministry has announced that the closures could lead to a declaration of force majeure following the closure of three Libyan oilfields in protest against the abduction of a former finance minister. A statement from the ministry was called for by all parties and stated that energy production and exports should not affect the dispute.
According to Zawi tribe leader Mr. Al-Senussi al-Ahlaiq, the protest started after a former finance minister, Mr. Faraj Bumatari, was kidnapped after arriving at Mitiga airport on 11th July 2023. Then Sharara oilfields were shut down for two days in protest.
Mr. Al-Ahlaiq remarked that the closure of al-Fil was conducted to pressure authorities in Tripoli to release Mr. Bumatari. As per the statement, the former finance minister is a candidate for the central bank governorship, which “makes him vulnerable to danger and kidnapping”.
Sharara field, Libya’s largest production sector with a capacity of 300,000 barrels per day, has been a frequent target of political strife. Since 2011, Libya has been divided into two rival governments as part of a civil conflict. The government was supported by many international actors and armed militias in the country. The headquarters of the House of Representatives is in the eastern city of Tobruk, while its rival chamber and Prime Minister Mr. Abdul Hamad Dbeibah are in the capital of Tripoli.
The House of Representatives on 13th July 2023, accused the country’s Internal Security Agency of kidnapping Mr. Bumatari, saying it held Mr. Dbeibah, an ally of the security agency’s chief, responsible for his safety, as per the statement.
The United Nations Support Mission in Libya also raised concerns about the abduction and the closure of oil fields, and it requested a stop to the shutdown.
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