“Today in this historic location, at this historic moment we launched a process to unify the petroleum facilities guards,” Stephanie Williams, the acting head of the UN’s Support Mission in Libya, told reporters in Brega.
NOC head Mustafa Sanalla said the aim is to create a new protection force that would be made up of civilian and military personnel and its leader would be affiliated with the corporation, according to Libya’s Al-Ahrar television.
Oil exports are the main source of national income for Libya, a country that has been mired in chaos since the 2011 overthrow and killing of longtime ruler Muammar Gaddafi. It has since been divided into two rival camps based in the country’s east and west – and that in recent years have been vying for power.
This year, oil production was halted for nine months, as forces loyal to eastern-based renegade military commander Khalifa Haftar shut down oilfields and terminals to put pressure on their rivals, the internationally recognised Government of National Accord (GNA) that is based in the capital, Tripoli.
They lifted the blockade in September.
Earlier this month, the NOC said production of Libyan crude oil exceeded one million barrels per day, the same level before the blockade began in January.
