Libya’s flood-hit Derna to host reconstruction conference: authorities

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An aerial view shows Libya's eastern city of Soussa on September 21, 2023, days following deadly flash floods. (Ozan Kose / AFP)
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A member of an Emirati rescue team and a forensic expert check a car that was washed into the sea during the September 10 flood, moments after it was pulled out of the water, at the port of Libya's eastern city of Derna, on September 20, 2023. (Amanda Mouawad/AFP)
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Rescue teams search through the rubble in the eastern city of Soussa, Libya, on September 21, 2023, following deadly flash floods. (AFP)
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Updated 24 September 2023
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Libya’s flood-hit Derna to host reconstruction conference: authorities

  • The government invites the international community to participate in the conference planned for October 10 in Derna
  • The conference is being held in “response to the demands of residents of the stricken city of Derna and other towns that suffered damage”

BENGHAZI, Libya: Libya’s flood-devastated port city of Derna will host an international conference next month to aid reconstruction efforts, authorities in the east of the divided country said Friday.

There was no immediate reaction from the internationally recognized government in Tripoli nor any details on how the rival administration would accommodate delegates in a city where entire neighborhoods have been swept away.

A tsunami-sized flash flood broke through two aging dams upstream from Derna after a hurricane-strength storm lashed the area on September 10, sweeping thousands of people into the sea.

“The government invites the international community to participate in the conference planned for October 10 in Derna to present modern, rapid projects for the reconstruction of the city,” the eastern administration said in a statement.

It said the conference was being held in “response to the demands of residents of the stricken city of Derna and other towns that suffered damage” during the flooding.




A member of an Emirati rescue team inspects a car that was washed into the sea during the 10 September flood, moments after it was pulled out of the water, at the port of Libya's eastern city of Derna, on September 20, 2023.  (Amanda Mouawad/AFP)

Despite a wave of nationwide solidarity since the flood, there was no immediate show of support for the proposed conference from the Tripoli-based government of interim Prime Minister Abdulhamid Dbeibah.

And even the office of strongman Khalifa Haftar, the main military backer of the eastern administration, questioned how many donor governments would attend.

“Are donor countries going to take part or are they going to wait for a conference organized by Dbeibah?” Haftar’s spokesman Ahmad Al-Mismari asked. “This political polarization has harmed Libyans.”

Libya has been wracked by division and on-off conflict ever since a NATO-backed uprising toppled and killed veteran dictator Muammar Qaddafi in 2011.

A bloody 2019 assault on Tripoli by Haftar’s forces ended in defeat by Dbeibah loyalists and an August 2020 cease-fire that largely holds.

There is still no widely accepted death toll for the floods which devastated Derna and nearby coastal towns.

The latest official death toll released on Friday evening stood at 3,753 but the eventual count is expected to be far higher, with international aid groups giving estimates of up to 10,000 people missing.

Bodies are still being found in large numbers, under the debris or on beaches where they have washed up after being swept out to the sea by the flood.

On Friday, dozens of bodies were delivered in a lorry and two pick-ups to the village cemetery in Martouba, 27 kilometers (17 miles) southeast of Derna, for burial, footage posted on social media showed.

Libyan media said 200 people were buried in the cemetery in a single day.

The International Organization for Migration said Thursday that more than 43,000 people have been displaced from the disaster zone.

It said a “lack of water supply is reportedly driving many displaced out of Derna.”

In Soussa, about 60 kilometers (40 miles) to the west, residents complained that they too had no access to drinking water after the flood badly damaged a desalination plant.

Instead, volunteers have to “bring water from nearby cities in big trucks,” 34-year-old Ahmed Saleh told AFP.




A volunteer kitchen staff prepares meals for people displaced from eastern Libya following a deadly flood and housed in Tripoli, at a kitchen facility in the capital on September 23, 2023. (Mahmud Turkia / AFP)

Mobile and Internet services were restored in Derna on Thursday following a two-day disruption that came after demonstrations by angry residents on Monday.

The protests saw hundreds of demonstrators gather outside the city’s grand mosque, chanting slogans against the eastern-based parliament and its leader and calling for accountability over the high death toll.

Amnesty International reported “arrests of critics and protesters” in Derna and criticized “efforts to choreograph and control media access.”

The dams that burst had developed cracks as far back as the 1990s, Libya’s top prosecutor has said, as residents accused authorities of negligence.

Scientists from the World Weather Attribution group said in a report issued on Tuesday that a deluge of the magnitude seen in eastern Libya was an event that occurred once every 300-600 years.

They said such downpours were both more likely and heavier because of human-caused global warming, resulting in up to 50 percent more rain.


Jordanian PM, Palestinian president meet in Riyadh

Updated 11 sec ago
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Jordanian PM, Palestinian president meet in Riyadh

  • Khasawneh underlined Jordan's efforts to halt the war in Gaza and ensure sustained humanitarian aid flow

RIYADH: Jordan’s Prime Minister Bisher Khasawneh met with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas during a special session of the World Economic Forum in Riyadh on Monday, Jordan News Agency reported.
Khasawneh reaffirmed Jordan’s support for the Palestinian cause and its commitment to providing assistance to Palestinians in their pursuit of legitimate rights on their national soil.
He said that lasting peace and stability in the region depend on a political resolution within the framework of a two-state solution.
Khasawneh said that such a solution should lead to the establishment of an independent, fully sovereign Palestinian state, with East Jerusalem as its capital, based on the lines of June 4, 1967.
He underlined Jordan's efforts to halt the war in Gaza and ensure sustained humanitarian aid flow.
Jordan remains committed to delivering aid to Gaza through both land crossings and airdrops conducted by the Jordanian army, Khasawneh said.
In a CNN interview earlier this month, Jordan’s Queen Rania explained the reason for the airdrops in an area where the UN has reported a widespread food crisis.
“We found that after trying so hard in vain to persuade Israel to open the land access points, that we had to do something. We couldn’t just sit idle and watch people starving,” she said.
Khasawneh also warned against any Israeli military assault on the Palestinian city of Rafah.
Both parties agreed to convene meetings of the Jordanian-Palestinian Joint Higher Committee in Amman in early June, led by the respective prime ministers.
 


GCC countries can play pivotal role in Africa’s economic development, African stakeholders say

Updated 58 min 44 sec ago
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GCC countries can play pivotal role in Africa’s economic development, African stakeholders say

  • Economic relations between Africa and the GCC are set to grow significantly in the coming years

RIYADH: Member nations of the Gulf Cooperation Council can play a pivotal role in developing African economies, a special meeting of the World Economic Forum in Riyadh was told on Sunday.

Economic relations between Africa and the GCC are set to grow significantly in the coming years, economists have said, driven by mutual interests in economic diversification, investment and sustainable development.

Denis Christel Sassou Nguesso, the Republic of Congo’s international cooperation minister, said countries in central and western Africa had traditionally looked to Western powers, such as the US, France and the UK, for assistance with their development but were increasingly looking to forge links with GCC countries.

“It’s a good opportunity and position to start to work on this cooperation with (countries such as) Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar, Oman and Bahrain. They can help (African) countries to develop their economies and infrastructure projects,” he said.

“We’re not looking for an equal economy (with GCC states), but we’d like to build some bridges toward partnerships between our countries, to promote the public-private partnership.”

Boitumelo Mosako, CEO at the Development Bank of Southern Africa, told the panel that the GCC and African Union were founded on the same date, which coincides with Africa Day.

The GCC and the Organization of African Unity, which was replaced by the African Union, were both founded on May 25.

This was a symbol of the strong partnerships that had evolved between Africa and GCC countries, especially in direct trade, Mosako said.

“When it comes to infrastructure, that is where I see the greatest opportunity. As we all know, (Africa) is a continent with an infrastructure backlog, but we are one with aspirations of implementing an African free-trade agreement.”

But in order for this to be achieved, infrastructure projects had to be built quickly, which would not only benefit African economies but also global partners as Africa’s exports to those countries would be able to increase exponentially, Mosako said.

Highlighting opportunities in energy investment from GCC countries, she added: “We have seen this in South Africa, where GCC companies have partnered local entities as part of a renewable energy program, so it’s not something far-fetched, it’s actually happening. It’s an opportunity to close the energy gap for the continent.”

Ousmane Dione, vice president for the Middle East and North Africa at the World Bank, said that at its shortest distance, there were only 26 km between Africa and the GCC, but there was a much bigger metaphorical gap in investment from the GCC states into Africa, which he called a “land of opportunity.”

He said that by 2035, there would be 430 million young Africans coming into the labor market competing for just 100 million jobs if current policies remained in place.

This could either be a “demographic liability or a demographic dividend” depending on how other countries viewed it, he said.

“I see the GCC countries really being a part of what will be the future of that relationship, in terms of a partnership.”


Houthis expecting ‘hostile’ reaction from US over Red Sea attacks, drone downing

Updated 28 April 2024
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Houthis expecting ‘hostile’ reaction from US over Red Sea attacks, drone downing

  • US Defense Department says MQ-9 Reaper crashed in Yemen
  • British-owned oil tanker damaged after being hit by missiles

AL-MUKALLA: The Houthis claim the US is planning a new round of strikes on Yemen in response to its attacks on ships in the Red Sea and the downing of an American drone.

In a post on X on Saturday afternoon, Hussein Al-Ezzi, the militia’s deputy foreign minister, said: “Now America and its mercenaries are considering new hostile plans, and we tell them the same thing: you will fail.”

In a separate message, posted on X on Saturday morning, Al-Ezzi said the Houthis were aware that the US was plotting a fresh military campaign against them and pledged to strike back against US interests wherever they may be.

That warning came after military spokesperson Yahya Sarea said the militia launched missiles at the British-owned and Panamanian-flagged Andromeda Star oil tanker in the Red Sea and shot down a US MQ-9 Reaper drone above its stronghold in the northern province of Saada.

US Defense Department spokesperson Lt. Col. Bryon J. McGarry told The Associated Press on Saturday that an MQ-9 drone had crashed in Yemen and that an inquiry was underway.

The US Central Command said on Saturday morning that the Andromeda Star received minor damage after being hit by missiles launched by the Houthis on Friday afternoon.

Shipping website Marinetraffic.com said the tanker was traveling from the Port of Sudan to an unnamed destination.

Houthi missiles on Friday also fell near the MV MAISHA, an oil tanker controlled by Liberia and traveling under the flag of Antigua and Barbuda, the Central Command said.

Since November, the Houthis have seized one commercial ship, sunk another and launched hundreds of missiles and drones at commercial and navy vessels in the Red Sea, Bab Al-Mandab Strait and the Gulf of Aden.

The group claims it targets vessels bound for or with links to Israel in a bid to force it to break its blockade on the Gaza Strip.

On Wednesday, the Houthis ended a nearly two-week break in their attacks by claiming credit for hitting a US-owned ship, a US Navy destroyer and an Israeli vessel in the Gulf of Aden and Indian Ocean.

Meanwhile, the Yemeni government and the Houthis swapped accusations on Saturday after a drone laden with explosives killed five women in the Maqbanah district of Taiz province.

The government said the Houthis launched the drone at women gathering water from a well and also fired artillery rounds and heavy machine guns into civilian areas and military sites southeast of Taiz.

The Houthi Ministry of Health said three women and two children were killed after a drone launched by Yemeni government soldiers cut through a crowd of villagers getting water from a well in Al-Shajeen village in Maqbanah.

 


Hamas official says delegation to respond to Gaza truce plan in Egypt Monday

Updated 28 April 2024
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Hamas official says delegation to respond to Gaza truce plan in Egypt Monday

  • There is growing international pressure for Hamas and Israel to reach a ceasefire deal and avert an Israeli attack on Rafah
  • Hamas delegation to visit Cairo on Monday for ceasefire talks

TEL AVIV: A senior Hamas official on Sunday said that the group would deliver its response to Israel’s latest counterproposal for a Gaza ceasefire on Monday in Egypt.
“A Hamas delegation headed by Khalil Al-Hayya will arrive in Egypt tomorrow... and deliver the movement’s response” to the Israeli proposal during a meeting with Egyptian intelligence officials, said the official who declined to be named told AFP.

Mediator Egypt had sent its own delegation to Israel this week to jump-start stalled negotiations even as fighting in the Gaza Strip rages.
Egypt, Qatar and the United States have been unsuccessfully trying to broker a new Gaza truce deal ever since a one-week halt to the fighting in November saw 80 Israeli hostages exchanged for 240 Palestinians held in Israeli prisons.

Earlier, a senior Qatari official has urged both Israel and Hamas to show “more commitment and more seriousness” in ceasefire negotiations in interviews with Israeli media, as pressure builds on both sides to move toward a deal that would set Israeli hostages free and bring potential respite in the nearly 7-month-long war in Gaza.
The interviews with the liberal daily Haaretz and the Israeli public broadcaster Kan were published and aired Saturday evening. They came as Israel still promises to invade Gaza’s southernmost city of Rafah despite global concern for hundreds of thousands of Palestinians sheltering there and as the sides are exchanging proposals surrounding a ceasefire deal.
Qatar, which hosts Hamas headquarters in Doha, has been a key intermediary throughout the Israel-Hamas war. Along with the US and Egypt, Qatar was instrumental in helping negotiate a brief halt to the fighting in November that led to the release of dozens of hostages.
The sides have held numerous rounds of negotiations since, none of which produced an additional truce. In a sign of its frustration, Qatar last week said it was reassessing its role as mediator.
In the interviews, Qatar’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Majed Al-Ansari expressed disappointment in both Hamas and Israel, saying each side has made its decisions based on political interests and not with the good of civilians in mind.
“We were hoping to see more commitment and more seriousness on both sides,” he told Haaretz.
He did not reveal details of the current state of the talks, other than to say they have “effectively stopped,” with “both sides entrenched in their positions.”
“If there is a renewed sense of commitment on both sides, I’m sure we can reach a deal,” he said.
The Israeli journalists conducted the interviews in Qatar, which has no formal diplomatic ties with Israel.
Relations between Qatar and Israel have been strained throughout the war, as some politicians in Israel, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, have criticized Qatar for not putting enough pressure on Hamas.
Israeli legislators have also cleared the way for the country to expel Al Jazeera, the Qatar-owned broadcaster.
Al-Ansari’s remarks came after an Egyptian delegation had discussed with Israeli officials a “new vision” for a prolonged ceasefire in Gaza, according to an Egyptian official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to freely discuss the developments.
Hamas meanwhile said Saturday it was reviewing a new Israeli proposal for a ceasefire, which came in response to a Hamas proposal from two weeks ago.
Negotiations earlier this month centered on a six-week ceasefire proposal and the release of 40 civilian and sick hostages held by Hamas in exchange for freeing hundreds of Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails.
There is growing international pressure for Hamas and Israel to reach a ceasefire deal and avert an Israeli attack on Rafah.
A letter penned by US President Joe Biden along with 17 other world leaders urged Hamas to release the hostages immediately.
Hamas in recent days has released new videos of three hostages it holds, which appear to be meant to push Israel to make concessions.
Israel meanwhile has massed dozens of tanks and armored vehicles ahead of an expected offensive in Rafah, where more than half of Gaza’s 2.3 million population is seeking shelter. The planned incursion has raised global alarm because of concerns over potential harm to civilians. The troop buildup may also be a pressure tactic on Hamas in the truce talks.
Israel sees Rafah as Hamas’ last major stronghold and has vowed to attack the militant group there in its bid to destroy its military and governing capabilities.
The war was sparked with Hamas’ attack on Oct. 7 into southern Israel, which killed 1,200 people, mostly civilians, according to Israeli authorities, who say another 250 people were taken hostage. Hamas and other groups are holding about 130 people, including the remains of about 30, Israeli authorities say.
Israel’s retaliatory assault on Hamas has killed more than 34,000 people, most of them women and children, according to health authorities in Gaza, who do not distinguish between civilians and combatants in their tally. The Israeli military says it has killed at least 12,000 militants, without providing evidence to back the claim.


France to make proposals in Lebanon to prevent war between Hezbollah and Israel

Updated 28 April 2024
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France to make proposals in Lebanon to prevent war between Hezbollah and Israel

NAQOURA: France’s foreign minister said that he would make proposals to Lebanese officials on Sunday aimed at easing tensions between Hezbollah and Israel and preventing a war breaking out.
“If I look at the situation today if there was not a war in Gaza, we could be talking about a war in southern Lebanon given the number of strikes and the impact on the area,” Stephane Sejourne said after visiting the United Nations peace keeping force in Naqoura, southern Lebanon.
“I will pass messages and make proposals to the authorities here to stabilize this zone and avoid a war.”