The Central Bank Of Libya By:Omar Khattaly Mr. Kabir’s decision to flee the country has effectively placed Libya’s financial institutions in a state of siege, held hostage by his own world of power, which he has maintained a firm grasp on for the past decade. It is regrettable that the […]
The Removal of Libya’s Central Bank Governor
Chaos and violence are major prerequisites for the removal of an official from Libya’s official institutions, from the National Oil Corporation to the Libyan Investment Authority and now the central bank, the country’s highest financial institution. Two days ago, the abrupt removal of Libya’s Central Bank governor, Mr. Sadeg Kabir, […]
Libya: The challenges of building a state, growing an economy, and income inequality
In 1982, Forbes magazine unveiled a list of America’s wealthiest 400 individuals and their fortunes. This roster featured a mere 13 billionaires, amassing a total wealth of $92 billion. Fast-forward four decades, and Forbes’ updated list of America’s richest 400 reveals a staggering increase to $4.5 trillion. A striking 30.6% […]
The Short Future of Oil. Will Libya and Africa miss this last opportunity?
At a recent Energy Asia conference in Malaysia, executives and experts from global oil companies discussed the future demand and supply of oil and how soon the energy transition will occur. The consensus was that global markets were still thirsty for oil for at least another two decades before the […]
Can Africa replace Russia as Europe’s leading energy supplier?
Until recently, Russia has supplied Europe with an average of over 150 billion cubic meters (BCM) of Natural Gas annually, a volume not easily replaced through alternative means. However, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has forced global energy suppliers to seek alternative energy sources resulting in a scramble to secure supplies […]
Libya and the African economy: successes and failures
The World Bank recently released a list of countries with the most ease of investment and business in Africa and the world. Since the beginning of the twentieth century, the African continent has become a significant destination for investors and business people from Asia and America, with interests in traditional […]
A government of laws, not of men
In 1780, John Adams, a political philosopher and the second president of the United States, enshrined the idea of “a government of Laws, not of men” In the Massachusetts state constitution. His words represented his firm conviction that governments should be built and based on written laws and agreed to […]
“Nobody touches Libyan funds until there is a constitution and an elected government!” Omar Khattaly explains why UN should prevent the thawing of LIA assets abroad
By Vanessa Tomassini. While protests rage in Libya over dire economic situations and widespread corruption of state officials, on August 4, Ali Mahmoud Hassan Mohamed, chairman of the Libyan Investment Authority (LIA), following consultations with the head of Presidential Council of the Government of National Accord (GNA) Fayez al-Serraj, announced […]
The Role of State-Owned Enterprises In Post Conflict Economic Recovery
By: Omar Khattaly Researcher & Consultant on MENA Political Economy and Sovereign Wealth Funds Even though the first thoughts that come to many when hearing the words “state-owned” next to “economic recovery” are socialism, government control and bureaucracy, according to accounting firm PwC, the proportion of State-owned Enterprises (SOEs) among the Fortune […]
Lessons from the world’s largest sovereign wealth fund
By: Omar Khattaly Researcher & Consultant on MENA Political Economy and Sovereign Wealth Funds February 2018 Norway’s Sovereign Wealth Fund (SWF), Government Pension Fund Global (GPF-Global) started in 1990 as a future generation financial cushion and as the population’s pension fund. A fund that receives its financing from the country’s […]