On Friday, the US ambassador to Libya, Richard Norland, renewed his country’s support for the current arrangements under which oil and gas revenues are frozen, under non-political management as a temporary and exceptional measure.
Norland’s statement came during the signing ceremony of a letter of cooperation that defines US support between the US Agency for International Development and the Ministry of Finance in the Government of National Accord.
Norland and Finance Minister Faraj Boumtari also discussed ways in which USAID programs could support the government’s efforts to enable municipalities to play a greater role in providing services to the Libyan public across the country, including the south.
Norland noted that the strong partnership between USAID and the Ministry of Finance “reflects the commitment of the United States to help the Libyan authorities gain the credibility and confidence of the Libyan public that state resources are managed transparently and in the public interest.”
It is noteworthy that the head of the National Oil Corporation, Mustafa Sanallah, announced a few days ago a temporary freeze on oil and gas revenues, due to the central bank’s lack of transparency and clarity, as he described it.
