RENEGADE General Khalifa Haftar appears to be releasing his stranglehold on Libya's oil production and export facilities that has led to widespread poverty and power shortages across the country. The move, designed to relieve pressure on the beleaguered warlord, bodes ill for Opec's efforts to prop up an oil market reeling from the Covid-19 pandemic. Haftar gave assurances to the US government last weekend that he was ending his eight-month blockade of the oil facilities. State-owned National Oil Corporation (NOC) has yet to confirm the restart of crude exports, which have been reduced to a trickle with the loss of billions of dollars in revenue. NOC, based in the capital Tripoli, is pumping around 80,000 barrels per day compared to one million bpd before the siege.
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