Monday, February 18, 2019
In a statement released by the US Embassy in Libya, the US government called on parties involved in the recent security issues to “urgently establish a mutually acceptable security arrangement.”
The statement said that the US was concerned by ongoing tensions in southern Libya, which have prolonged the closure of critical oil infrastructure and deprived all Libyans of vital economic resources.
The US wants an arrangement that will guarantee the safety of National Oil Corporation (NOC) workers and allow oil production at the al-Sharara oil field to resume as quickly as possible for the benefit of all Libyans.
It went on to say “Libya’s oil facilities, production, and revenues belong to the Libyan people. We reiterate that the NOC must be allowed to resume its work unhindered and that these vital Libyan resources must remain under the exclusive control of the NOC and the sole oversight of the Government of National Accord, as outlined in UN Security Council Resolutions 2259 (2015), 2278 (2016), and 2362 (2017)”.
The statement ended with: “The United States reaffirms its unwavering commitment to stand with all Libyans in our shared fight against terrorism. We welcome ongoing efforts to ensure that ISIS-Libya and al-Qa’ida are denied safe haven in southern Libya. We remain committed to using all available tools to sustain pressure against terrorist groups, at the request of and in coordination with the Government of National Accord.”