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German navy sailors reach a migrants boat off the coast of Libya in March 2016. Photograph: Matthias Schrader/AP

Libyas UN-backed prime minister, Fayez al-Serraj, has said Nato or EU ships could be permitted to operate in Libyan waters alongside the national military coastguard to slow the flow of people-smuggling across the Mediterranean.

The move came as a report claimed elements of the Libyan coastguard were complicit in the smuggling and said returning anyone caught on boats to coastal detention centres was risky since conditions there were horrendous.

Serrajs comments after talks at Nato on Wednesday will be a boost to EU plans to move its anti-smuggling mission Operation Sophia into Libyan waters to help prevent migrants from reaching Europe. The EU is due to discuss a comprehensive plan for Libya at a special heads of state summit on Friday.

If there is something to be carried out jointly between the Libyan navy and any other party interested in extending a hand to the Libyan navy, that would be possible, Serraj said.

Of course, we have to modernise our navy flotilla and enhance its capacities. Nato or any other friendly nation on a bilateral basis could extend a hand in this.

Smugglers boats currently can only be turned back to Libya if they are stopped inside Libyan waters, but both Nato and the EU need Libyan government consent to operate inside its sovereign waters. This year tens of thousands of migrants will face the risk of drowning while the smugglers networks benefit from the political chaos in Libya.

Serraj, struggling to gain authority inside Libya, is under pressure not to be seen to be succumbing excessively to outsiders.

On Wednesday Italy pledged 200m (170m) in funds to several African countries as part of its drive to reduce migration at source. The foreign minister, Angelino Alfano, said the fund aimed at Niger, Libya and Tunisia would help bolster the fight against human trafficking and illegal migration.

He said Europe was not trying to build a wall but helping countries to reduce the incentive to migrate.

A report by the Clingendael Institute, a Dutch thinktank, drawing on first-hand research, said migrants intercepted or rescued at sea by the Libyan coastguard were sent to detention centres where they often spend months languishing with no legal recourse, subject to the whims of their jailers.

It said some smugglers tortured migrants to secure the release of more money from their families, or forced them to work in order to continue their journey. Moreover, migrants are reportedly sold to criminal groups if they cannot pay for their voyage across the Mediterranean: for 15,000 they were sold to groups, mostly Egyptians, who are involved in removing and selling organs. Finally, based on self-reporting by migrants, up to 40% of migrants are forced on to boats.

The report added: Particularly in the northwestern part of Libya, migration is accompanied with absurdly high levels of crime and violence, and migrants are subject to the whims of the group that controls the area they are in. The line between smuggling and trafficking runs thin here, as cases of kidnapping, torture, sexual violence and killings are widespread, and the situation in and around detention centres for immigration is horrific.

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Libya may allow EU ships to pursue people-smugglers in its waters - The Guardian

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Tripoli-based Attorney Generals Office opened an investigation into the floating dock Gaza that started operating recently and was said to have cost the government 700 million dollars. Following orders from the Attorney Generals Office, Special Deterrent Force in Tripoli have started listing all those who were tied to the contract and implementation of the project.

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The head of the fuel and gas crisis committee Milad Al-Hajrasi, said that security personnel arrested a number of gas cylinders distribution centers owners for selling the cylinders in the black market, which led to escalating the juncture. He added that the shortage has been contained as gas cylinders are available in all centers with the official pricing.

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GECOL said that it is aiming at executing the Smart Meters project a pre-paid meters project so that it can improve the electricity network.

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The Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency Directorate (TIKA) sent six tons of medicines and medicaments to Misrata Central Hospital. According to Anadolu News Agency, the medical aids went to Misrata hospital as it is treating the injured of the war on IS.

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GECOL said that nine electric towers near Al-Fajij district 18 km away from Sabha were damaged by taking out the screws from the ground and keeping them baseless and liable to fall, which, if happened, would leave the southern region in utter darkness.

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Due to deteriorated security and constant assaults on teachers, a number of Sabha schools suspended studies, commenting that they were obliged to do so because of gunshots exchange in students brawls.

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Qasir Benghashir Mayor, Mohammed Ajaj, said five people were killed and other five were wounded in Tuesday clashes, adding that all the casualties were toting weapons and there were no civilians involved. He also said that the clashes were between an armed group appointed to secure the Aviation Academy and a number of the areas residents, saying the issue is due to be resolved.

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Libyan Relief Association distributed food baskets for 800 displaced families from Sirte in eastern Libya in coordination with the social affairs offices, municipal councils, and Libya Red Crescent in Ajdabiya.

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The UN-proposed governments Foreign Minister, Mohammed Sayala, said in a televised interview that Donald Trumps ban on seven Muslim-majority countries to travel to the US as unjust, adding that the order should be reconsidered as it is discriminatory and a violation of human rights.

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The member of Sirte crisis committee, Mohammed Al-Ameel, said the Libyan Doctor Association for Humanitarian Services Overseas (Germany branch) sent a cargo of medical equipment and devices to Ibn Sina Hospital in Sirte. He added that the container that arrived in Misrata port included 25 beds and medical mattresses, three surgery refrigerators, 10 medical beds for newborns, and 25 tables for medical services and other services.

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News Roundup - Wed, Feb 01, 2017 - The Libya Observer

US President Donald Trump doesnt seem to want to repeat the Libyan scenario in Syria when he proposes setting up safe zones in the war-stricken country, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said, adding that the Libyan case had been tragic.

We understand that Donald Trumps administration is yet to specify its approach [on Syrian safe zones], Lavrov said at the Fourth Session of the Arab-Russian Cooperation Forum in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.

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Russias foreign minister said the idea of safe zones had been discussed at the early stages of the Syrian crisis when negotiators proposed following the tragic Libyan scenario.

[They] established such a safe zone in Benghazi area, where anti-government forces were stationed, some kind of alternative government was established [there], he said.

He pointed out that NATO came to help that government and [then] in flagrant violation of the Security Council resolution, overthrew the regime of Muammar Gaddafi.

The foreign minister said that Russia was ready to discuss safe zones in Syria with the new US administration.

As soon as the State Department leadership is completely formed, I am convinced that we will get in contact and establish a full-blown regular dialogue, Lavrov said.

Lavrov proposed re-including the official Syrian government in the Arab League as a way of solving the crisis. The country was suspended from the group back in September of 2011, months after the bloody conflict broke out.

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The fact that the Syrian government, a legitimate member of the UN, cant take part in the discussions in the Arab League, doesnt help in the pursuit of this [negotiation] process, he said. Lavrov noted that, while there have been different types of contact between Syria and various international organizations and bodies, which Russia welcomes, I believe that the Arab League could play a more important, a more effective role, if the Syrian government were part of this organization.

Trump said earlier in January that he wants to establish safe zones within Syria for people fleeing terrorism. While the president did not give any details, he explained his reasoning with a nod towards Europe, which he said has made a mistake by letting asylum seekers in from the Middle East.

Trumps plan is part of his general directive on immigration, which includes a temporary 90-day ban on most refugees and the suspension of US visas for citizens of Syria, Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen the Middle Eastern and African countries where Islamic terrorism is most common.

Lavrov has voiced cautious support for Trumps proposed safe zones, saying the initiative is completely different from that which Western countries have proposed at various stages of the Syrian war. However, he insisted that the plan would require close cooperation with the UN and approval from Syrian President Bashar Assads government.

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Trump doesn't seem to want another Libya in Syria Lavrov - RT

The Central Bank of Libya has announced that it is going to sell $400 (liable to increase) for each Libyan citizen with the official foreign currency rates ($1 = LYD 1.42) starting from Wednesday, February 01 and up to the end of 2017.

Each family member will be allowed to buy $400 with the official exchange rates and the all of the dollars of the family members will be deposited in a separate bank account for each familys bread owner (whether the father or the mother) from which they can withdraw the money by visa cards or via money transfers (or cash when the embargo placed on Libya in 2013 ends). The CBL announced on Wednesday afternoon.

The family bread owner can buy the money using cash or using their money that was deposited in other bank accounts they own, the CBL added, stressing that if they did not cash out the dollars during 2017, they can keep them for as long as they please.

We have the monetary coverage for this step, and we called on all commercial banks to start implementing the order starting from the date of issuing it. The CBL indicated.

It also pointed out that the CBL will continue to allow money transfers for reasons of medical treatment and study worth $7500, separately from the new order.

Our economy is fine and we wont allow the black markets speculations to damage, we depend on the Libyan citizens awareness and cooperation to regain Libyas stability. The CBL concluded in its statement.

See the article here:
CBL to allow each Libyan citizen to buy $400 from banks by official rates - The Libya Observer

Libya Oil Output On The Rise, Highest Since 2014 Forbes After a series of setbacks and missteps, Libya is reportedly on track to continue its increased oil production in 2017, with output now sitting at the highest levels seen since 2014. According to media reports, the North African nation is currently ... Time To Get Back Into Libyan Oil? Probably Not Quite YetOilPrice.com all 3 news articles »

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Libya Oil Output On The Rise, Highest Since 2014 - Forbes