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The Director General of the National Center for Disease Control, Badr Al-Din Al-Najjar, has officially declared the recovery of the first coronavirus case in Libya, said all his tests came back negative.

At a press conference Monday, Al-Najjar said that the curfew period might be extended to 24 hours, depending on the development of the situation.

He stressed the importance of social separation during this time and commitment to home quarantine, as it is the first step towards beating this virus.

The second case is also on its way to recovery, said director of the emergency department of the center, Tawfiq Harisha, noting that he is pending results of recent analysis to confirm he's ready to go home.

The National Center for Disease Control announced a new case of Covid-19 on Monday, bringing the total number of people who contracted the disease in Libya to 19.

Link:
Libya records first recovery of Covid-19 patient - The Libya Observer

The Head of the Libyan Presidential Council Fayez Al-Sarraj has described Khalifa Haftar as "obsessed with gripping power and doesn't care if Libyans died in war or from Coronavirus."

Speaking to Russian news agency Sputnik, Al-Sarraj said the Government of National Accord had responded positively to all calls for a ceasefire in Libya but Haftar didn't and continued to violate the truce.

"I think that the international community is well informed of our position on this aspect. The Government of National Accord has responded to all calls to cease hostilities, the last of which was issued by ambassadors and representatives of the eleven countries governments, as well as by the United Nations and the European Union. It was on 18 March, and it would allow local authorities to combat the coronavirus epidemic." He told Sputnik.

Al-Sarraj added that "the aggressor" continued to violate the truce, attacking residential areas in the capital of Tripoli every day resulting in civilian casualties, including children and women. He indicated that his government is doing its duty to the people to protect them as per the international law.

He also talked about the European Union's Operation IRINI, saying it ignores monitoring the UN arms embargo and its violations on the side of Haftar's forces which are still receiving weapons via air and land borders, saying he is in contact with the EU in this regard.

Originally posted here:
Al-Sarraj: Haftar is obsessed with gripping power in Libya - The Libya Observer

By Sami Zaptia.

London, 7 April 2020:

A cargo shipping line between Tunisia and Libya is to be launched in the second week of April, Tunisias Ministry of Transport and Logistics revealed. The service is for Tunisian goods destined for Libya but currently stalled due to the Coronavirus (Covid-19) curfews and border closures in both countries.

The Ministry called for coordination with the Sfax port administration to see practical procedures to secure the transfer of their exports to Libya, after it coordinated between the maritime carriers working on Tunisian ports and Tunisian exporters interested in the Libyan market, to provide cargo shipping services to ensure the flow of cargo between Tunisia and Libya.

The Ministry said in a statement on Monday that an agreement was reached with one of the maritime carriers to organize weekly service to transport Tunisian exports, by container ship, between the port of Sfax and the port of Tripoli.

The first trip will be scheduled during the second week of April, starting from the port of Sfax, with the maritime carrier ready to operate a regular sea line between the two ports, subject to sufficient volume of cargo.

The Ministry added that the move comes as part of supporting Tunisian exporters and urging them to seek new markets, facilitate international transfers and develop trade relations between Tunisia and Libya, following measures taken at border crossings to counter the spread of the CORONA virus.

Read the rest here:
Cargo shipping line between Tunisia and Libya to be launched second week of April | - Libya Herald

GENEVA - The U.N. refugee agency warns thousands of refugees and migrants detained in sub-standard facilities in Libya are threatened by COVID-19 and the ongoing conflict in the country, and should be released.

The warning comes as a military offensive launched by renegade commander Khalifa Haftar in the Libyan capital Tripoli a year ago continues unabated despite the threats posed by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The U.N. refugee agency reports more than 300 civilians have been killed and 150,000 others displaced by the fighting.

In addition to this threat, the UNHCR says Libyan authorities have confirmed 10 cases of COVID-19 and one death.

UNHCR spokesman Babar Balloch says the countrys weakened health services are unable to adequately respond to this pandemic.

The ongoing conflict has severely impacted the countrys health system and medical services, which have limited financial resources and face shortages of basic equipment and medicines. Many hospitals or health facilities, located in the areas close to the conflict, have also been damaged or closed, he said.

Balloch said daily life is becoming increasingly difficult for people across conflict-torn Libya. He said they have difficulty accessing basic goods and services, and finding work. He said house rentals, food and fuel prices are soaring, making them unaffordable for many. But he noted those most at risk in this unstable, war-torn society are the thousands of asylum seekers and refugees held in detention. He says the UNHCR and other agencies are calling for their orderly release.

Asylum seekers and refugees, held in detention because they do not have legal documentation, are particularly vulnerable and exposed, given often poor sanitation facilities, limited health services and overcrowded conditions. Many detention centers are also located in areas close to the fighting frontlines, he said.

Balloch said the UNHCR continues to provide protection and assistance to refugees, asylum seekers, forcibly displaced Libyans and returnees. But he added deteriorating conditions and lack of security in the country are hampering the delivery of aid to those in need.

View original post here:
Coronavirus, Conflict Threaten Thousands of Refugees, Migrants Detained in Libya - VOA News

The House of Representatives (HoR) in Tripoli has accused the European Union (EU) of working to enable Khalifa Haftar in Libya by dubious ways, commenting on the new naval mission in the Mediterranean, Operation IRINI.

In a statement on Wednesday, the HoR said the mission's monitoring focus on the arms embargo in the sea only, disregarding land and air borders, which it said were main routes for Haftar's military backup, means it's undermining the legitimate Government of National Accord in the country.

"The EU has no authority on any other country outside the union's geography. Therefore, the IRINI decision lacks many legal facets as it intentionally equalizes between the legitimate government and the renegade. The EU's decision violates UN Charter that says in Article No.15 of Chapter 7 that rule legitimate authorities of a state have the right to defend themselves and protect the state against any kinds of aggression." The HoR explained.

The HoR further added that the EU's decision encroaches on Libya's sovereignty and an intervention in the policy making of the country.

On Tuesday, the in the Mediterranean to monitor the implementation of the arms embargo on Libya.

Operation IRINI will have as its core task the implementation of the UN arms embargo through the use of aerial, satellite and maritime assets, according to the EU's statement on Tuesday.

See the original post here:
Tripoli-based HoR accuses EU of enabling Haftar in Libya - The Libya Observer