Libya sends out warning signs
Uncertainty over the fate of Tripoli and recent statements by the government there are sending negative messages to IOCs
A shudder went through international oil companies in May when Libya's Tripoli government abruptly suspended 40 foreign companies, including Total. The announcement, via a hand-written decree from the UN-backed Government of National Accord (GNA), also named non-energy players Alcatel, Thales, Siemens and a division of Nokia. Economy minister Abdulaziz Issawi gave no reason for the decree, but diplomats see it as punishment meted out to European governments for their lack of support for the GNA in its battle for Tripoli against forces of the rival Tobruk government and its commander General Khalifa Haftar. Compounding the confusion, the GNA changed its mind hours later, saying the companies
Also in this section
4 December 2025
Time is running out for Lukoil and Rosneft to divest international assets that will be mostly rendered useless to them when the US sanctions deadline arrives in mid-December
3 December 2025
Aramco’s pursuit of $30b in US gas partnerships marks a strategic pivot. The US gains capital and certainty; Saudi Arabia gains access, flexibility and a new export future
2 December 2025
The interplay between OPEC+, China and the US will define oil markets throughout 2026
1 December 2025
The North African producer’s first bidding round in almost two decades is an important milestone but the recent extension suggests a degree of trepidation
