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FILE - A view of part of the wreckage of a capsized boat that was washed ashore at a beach near Cutro, southern Italy, on Feb. 27, 2023. Italian media say three members of Italy's border police are being investigated for a suspected role in a shipwreck off the country's southern coast this year that killed more than 90 migrants. Corriere della Sera newspaper said Friday, June 2 investigators cited “significant anomalies” in the border police's log of activity of their patrol boat that had been reported to have searched for the overcrowded migrant vessel, that would break apart after ramming a sandbank close to Cutro.

Egypt exported $3.4 billion worth of goods to Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) countries in 2022, an increase of 10.9 percent compared to $3.1 billion in 2021, revealed the latest date by the Central Agency for Public Mobilization and Statistics (CAPMAS). Trade overall between Egypt and COMESA jumped to $5.3 billion in 2022, up by 20.4 percent compared to 2021’s recorded $4.4 billion. The COMESA country that imported the most Egyptian products was Libya with exports worth $1.2 billion last year. Egypt imported goods worth $1.9 billion from COMESA countries, an increase of 42.2 percent compared to $1.3 billion in 2021. The Democratic Republic of the Congo exported goods worth $524.5 million to Egypt, making it’s the top COMESA country importing Egyptian goods.

Italy and Libya held discussions Wednesday on advancing bilateral relations in many sectors. During her meeting with the Prime Minister of Libya's Government of National Unity, Abdul Hamid Dbeibeh, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni underlined the importance of stability in Libya for Rome, said a statement by the prime minister’s office. Furthering cooperation in the economy and energy-related topics as well as the flow of irregular migrants to Italy were also discussed at the meeting, it noted. Meloni also expressed her appreciation to Dbeibeh for the efforts made by Libyan authorities in rescue operations at sea and in containing irregular departures, it said. It said Italy remains determined to confirm its constant commitment to support the Libyan authorities in the management of migration flows.

More than 600 Libyan companies participated in a recent survey to identify necessary reforms for a better business environment in Libya. The result, the 2023 “Reforms Guide” (https://apo-opa.info/3P4tltg) presents 20 top-priority reforms needed to create a more business-friendly environment and support the growth of the private sector in Libya. The World Bank’s “Ease of doing business” index (https://apo-opa.info/43NDKO5) ranks Libya at its bottom end (186th out of 190 countries). “This guide is considered a practical beginning to guide government reform measures and enrich the dialogue between the public and private sectors in order to improve the business environment and investment climate. The Reforms Guide is available for download (https://apo-opa.info/3P4tltg) on the EU4PSL website (http://EU4PSL.org).

Envoys of rival Libyan factions have agreed on the legal steps to hold much delayed presidential and legislative elections in the conflict-scarred nation, both sides said early Wednesday. “The members… have agreed the laws for presidential and legislative elections,” Jalal Chouehdi, who represents the east-based parliament, told reporters in the southern Moroccan city of Bouznika. Presidential and legislative elections have been repeatedly delayed over issues including their legal basis and the participation of controversial candidates including Haftar. The talks in Bouznika, the latest attempt by both sides to reach a deal, had been underway since May 22. In mid-March, UN envoy Abdoulaye Bathily had called on rival administrations to agree terms for elections “by mid-June”.

The inter-Libyan agreement was reached Tuesday night after two weeks of debates and negotiations between members of the joint commission, tasked with drafting electoral laws of these important polls for peace and stability. Shwehdi highly praised the role played by Morocco in securing the success of this dialogue and in reaching compromises on the electoral laws, stressing that the commission had not been subjected to any pressure from abroad. Morocco is convinced that elections are the only way to solve the Libyan crisis, said Bourita, affirming that the electoral process cannot succeed without the involvement of all Libyans and that the solution will come only from the Libyans. All that remains is the official publication of the laws by the House of Representatives as stipulated by Amendment 13 of the Constitutional Declaration to begin the electoral process, he pointed out. Morocco is pursuing its efforts to find a definitive solution to the Libyan crisis in order to guarantee the unity, stability and progress of Libya, by supporting its efforts to organize elections within a comprehensive, inclusive and pragmatic framework.

BOUZNIKA, Morocco: Envoys of rival Libyan factions have agreed on the legal steps to hold much delayed presidential and legislative elections in the conflict-scarred nation, both sides said early on Wednesday. Election were due to be held in December 2021 but were never organised as differences persisted on key issues including who should run in the polls. The country remains split between a nominally interim government in Tripoli in the west, and another in the east backed by military strongman Khalifa Haftar. No date has yet been named for when the vote may take place. “The members... have agreed the laws for presidential and legislative elections,” Jalal Chouehdi, who represents the east-based parliament, told reporters in the southern Moroccan city of Bouznika.

June 7, 2023BEIRUT — The health of Hannibal Gadhafi, son of the late Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi, was deteriorating three days after he began a hunger strike to protest his prolonged detention without trial in Lebanon. Libyan authorities have denied the claim, saying Sadr and his companions had left Libya for Rome. In a statement last year, the Gadhafi family condemned the conditions in which their son was held and urged Lebanese authorities to immediately release him. The new developments in Gadhafi’s case coincide with a report about worsening conditions in Lebanese prisons and deaths in custody. In addition, Amnesty says Lebanese prisons are 323% over capacity.

BOUZNIKA, Morocco: Envoys of rival Libyan factions have agreed on the legal steps to hold much delayed presidential and legislative elections in the conflict-scarred nation, both sides said early on Wednesday. “The members ... have agreed the laws for presidential and legislative elections,” Jalal Chouehdi, who represents the east-based parliament, told reporters in the southern Moroccan city of Bouznika. Presidential and legislative elections have been repeatedly delayed over issues including their legal basis and the participation of controversial candidates including Haftar. The talks in Bouznika, the latest attempt by both sides to reach a deal, had been underway since May 22. In mid-March, UN envoy Abdoulaye Bathily had called on rival administrations to agree terms for elections “by mid-June.”

A high level Libyan Ministerial delegation headed by the Tripoli-based Libyan Prime Minister Abd Alhamid Aldabaiba visited Rome today where he held a meeting with the Italian government headed by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. During the meeting the two parties signed memorandums of understanding in the fields of:Oil and natural gas. Joint investment in the Mediterranean basin. Activating the contracts for the water and sewage treatment plants. An agreement to link Libya with Italy with a submarine cable.

Aoun oversees Libya’s oil and gas sector with multifaceted responsibilities encompassing a broad range of crucial tasks, including the regulation and management of oil and gas exploration, production, processing, and exportation. Meanwhile, Libya's strategic location along with its vast energy resources makes it an important player in the global energy market. The Minister’s expertise and insight on Libya's energy potential and regulatory progress will certainly contribute to our discussions on the future of the African energy industry. Mohamed Aoun, will lead an extensive discussion that revolves around Libya's energy prospects, advancements made in regulatory reforms, and its crucial position in the global energy sphere. The conversation promises to be stimulating and informative, shedding light on the diverse facets of Libya's energy sector and the impact it has on the world.

According to an internal briefing by a group of foreign donors to Ethiopia seen by Reuters, USAID believes the food has been diverted to Ethiopian military units. The USAID spokesperson said the agency intended to resume food assistance as soon as it was confident in the integrity of the system. In the 2022 fiscal year, USAID disbursed nearly $1.5 billion in humanitarian assistance to Ethiopia, most of it food aid. Ethiopia’s food crisis has deepened in recent years as a result of the war in Tigray and the Horn of Africa’s worst drought in decades. WFP is also investigating “systemic” food diversion across Ethiopia, according to an email sent last week by the agency’s deputy director to staff in Ethiopia.

By Stephen NakrosisItalian energy company Eni signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the government of Libya which will see the company study and identify opportunities to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and develop sustainable energy. The agreement will see Eni work to reduce CO2 emissions by reducing routine gas flaring, fugitive emissions and venting, along with other possible projects. Eni will also examine new solutions to develop renewable energy and initiatives for electricity efficiency. Eni said it is the leading international gas producer in Libya, "with a share of 80% of the national production." In Jan., the company and the National Oil Corp. of Libya said they were launching the "Structures A&E" project, which will develop two gas fields offshore Libya and construct a carbon capture and storage facility.

Artificial Intelligence, or AI: most of us watched movies like The Matrix, a blockbuster three decades ago, but today AI is everywhere. You may hear AI and think Chat GPT, but that’s not the only AI in your lives. Using Google Maps, that’s AI. Talking to Siri or Alexa, that’s AI too. The YouTube algorithm making videos pop up on your feeds is also artificial Intelligence; as I said, it’s everywhere.