(Author: Libyan Gazette Editorial Staff)
Spain’s Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Garcia-Margallo said that Libya’s new unity government has Spain’s full support during a visit to Tripoli with Prime Minister Fayez al-Sarraj on April 28.
Garcia-Margallo also announced that Spanish oil company Repsol is planning on resuming its oil production in Libya once the country’s security situation becomes more stable.
“Repsol is ready to resume production as soon as an accord is finalized,” Garcia-Margallo said during a press conference.
Repsol, which has been doing business in Libya since 1975, shut down its operations in 2014 after the country descended into political chaos between rival governments.
Garcia-Margallo said that Repsol is planning on resuming its oil production at the Al-Sharara plant in Libya’s south as soon as the country is stable.
Due to ongoing violence and political conflict, Libya’s oil output has dropped to less than a quarter of the 1.6 million bpd it was producing before the 2011 uprising which toppled and killed Muammar Gaddafi.
The UN-backed Government of National Accord (GNA) has already had a number of foreign diplomats visit Tripoli in a show of support, however, the GNA is still waiting on the eastern government to endorse its unity government.
Garcia-Margallo also discussed Libya’s ongoing battle to eradicate ISIS and stated that Spain was a reliable partner to Libya and that its security was a priority.
The readiness of international companies, such as Repsol, to resume their operations in Libya suggests that the international community has faith in the GNA to provide stability and unity to the conflict ridden country.