The Accord Bloc in the State Council demands that Arkano be held accountable after a UN report accuses it of involvement in oil smuggling.

Tripoli, March 22, 2025 (LANA) – The National Accord Bloc of the High Council of State, in a statement issued on Saturday, demanded that the Arkano Oil Field Development Company be held accountable, calling for its legal prosecution at the local and international levels following the UN Panel of Experts' report, which accused it of involvement in suspicious operations to smuggle Libyan oil.

The bloc said in its statement that "the suspicions surrounding the company's oil smuggling operations have been explicitly documented in the UN Panel of Experts' report, exposing it to accountability and legal sanctions at the Libyan and international levels."

The statement added that the company's continued ability to conclude deals outside the framework of the law represents a clear exploitation of influence and de facto authority to perpetuate corruption, making those involved vulnerable to legal prosecution both inside and outside the country.

The bloc called for an urgent meeting between the Attorney General and the House of Representatives and the State Council to stand against what it described as a gross violation of laws and legislation and to halt what it called the largest plundering of the Libyan people's wealth.

The private company "Arkano" was established in early 2023. It says it seeks to join the list of oil and gas producing and manufacturing companies, in addition to developing oil fields and ports.

The company notes that it owns modern rigs using high-quality, world-class technologies, aiming to increase oil production, in line with the Libyan state's vision of restoring oil production to normal levels.

The company is a partner of the National Oil Corporation (NOC) in part of the Mesla and Sarir oil fields. The latter exports approximately 279,000 barrels per day via the Hariga oil port, pursuant to a decision issued by the Council of Ministers of the Government of National Unity in 2023 approving the agreement to develop the Mesla and Sarir fields.

In response to circulating reports regarding "Arkano", the NOC clarified that the export process via the Hariga port is supervised by the corporation's Marketing Department and the General Administration of Measurement.

For his part, Talal Al-Mayhoub, Chairman of the Defense and National Security Committee in the House of Representatives, commented on the UN report on the Arkano Company, stating that no external party should interfere in this matter, stressing that the management of state resources is the exclusive purview of the National Oil Corporation.

Al-Mayhoub also warned regional countries and the international community against continued interference in Libyan affairs, calling for respect for Libyan sovereignty and the prevention of the imposition of foreign agendas on the management of national resources.

... (LANA)...