Latest news with #LibyaBuild
Libya Review
26-05-2025
- Politics
- Libya Review
'Libya Build' Expo Turns to Battleground as Militias Overrun Capital
Libya may have just hosted 'the world's worst conference.' The event, held in Tripoli on May 12 under the title 'Libya Build', was promoted as the largest construction expo ever organized in North Africa, according to The Economist. It attracted international delegates from China, Turkey, and Malta, with the optimistic slogan: 'Let's Build Libya Together.' Instead, what unfolded was a descent into chaos. As guests arrived, mortars began falling. Gunmen in trucks mounted with heavy machine guns seized control of half the capital. Burned-out cars lined the streets. Schools, banks, and markets shut their gates. Militias stormed the Central Bank. Even the gazelles were stolen from Tripoli's zoo. Britain abruptly reversed its recently eased travel advice, urging citizens to avoid the capital, while Turkey airlifted its nationals to safety. This breakdown underscored the failure of Tripoli's post-Gaddafi 'reset.' The Government of National Unity (GNU) in the west, led by Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbaiba, once a construction tycoon, was always weaker than Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar, the General Commander of the eastern-based Libyan National Army (LNA). Unlike Haftar, Dbaiba's authority relies on a precarious coalition of militias. As Libya's oil revenues declined and government funds dwindled, Dbaiba's payouts decreased, prompting unrest among the very groups that once supported him. The immediate trigger was reportedly financial: with the coffers empty, militias sought new income by, for instance, kidnapping utility executives. Then, in a move meant to neutralize a threat, Dbaiba's forces killed militia leader Abdul Ghani al-Kikli during a meeting. The assassination provoked Tripoli's most powerful armed group, the Salafist Special Deterrence Force (Rada), which retaliated and took control of half the capital. In the aftermath, Tripolitanians, exhausted by years of misrule and broken promises, took to the streets demanding elections, an end to militia dominance, and reunification of Libya. Many now view Dbaiba as one of the 'fulul'—a term used to describe holdovers from the Gaddafi era. Dbaiba, seen by many diplomats as a fading figure, is said to have sent his family to London. Desperate to appear in control, he called fighters from his hometown of Misrata to secure Tripoli. They reportedly fired on demonstrators. With Tripoli's main airport under Rada's control, Dbaiba reopened the long-closed international airport and vowed to turn Kikli's former militia base into a public park. He has branded remaining militias 'blackmailers, criminals, and sharks.' But without their support, his grip grows increasingly fragile. His ministers have begun to resign. Parliament has declared Dbaiba 'illegitimate' and named potential successors. Meanwhile, reports suggest troop movements in Sirte, Zawiya, Zintan, and Ghadames, possibly in preparation for a broader push by Haftar's forces. For now, Dbaiba remains in office, but, as The Economist concludes, 'Libyans and foreign diplomats have begun to speak of his rule in the past tense.' At least, with the airport reopened, 'he has a way to escape'.
Libya Observer
14-05-2025
- Business
- Libya Observer
Libya Build Exhibition kicks off in Tripoli with participation of 260 companies
The 17th edition of the Libya Build Exhibition opened in Tripoli on Monday, featuring 260 exhibitors representing local companies and others from Egypt, Turkey, Tunisia, Italy, China, and Kuwait. Libya's Minister of Housing and Construction in the Government of National Unity, Abu Bakr Al-Ghawi, inaugurated the event, which is considered the most prominent in the country's building materials and construction sector, according to a statement by the Ministry on its official Facebook page. The Ministry said that the wide participation reflects growing confidence in the Libyan market and the potential for growth in the construction and development sector. According to the statement, Libya Build serves as a vital platform that brings together leading companies and experts in building materials and construction and its derivatives, offering opportunities for cooperation, deal-making, and knowledge exchange — ultimately contributing to driving urban development in Libya. Tags: libya build exhibition
Libya Herald
13-05-2025
- Business
- Libya Herald
Libya Build 2025 opens with 260 leading local and international companies from more than ten countries
The Minister of Housing and Construction, Abu Bakr Al-Ghawi, inaugurated yesterday the seventeenth edition of the Libya Build exhibition at the Tripoli International Fairgrounds, regarded as the most prominent event in the building and construction materials sector in Libya. 260 companies from more than 10 countries This edition will witness a wide participation of 260 exhibitors representing elite local and international companies coming from more than ten countries, including Turkey, Tunisia, Italy, China and Kuwait. The Ministry of Housing and Construction said this wide participation reflects the growing confidence in the Libyan market and the growth potential in the construction sector. The opening ceremony was attended by several Tripoli based ministers and ambassadors accredited to Libya, which, the Ministry added, confirms the importance that the government attaches to this exhibition in supporting development and reconstruction efforts in the country. Libya Build is a vital platform that brings together the most prominent companies and specialists in the building and construction materials and derivatives sector, and provides opportunities for cooperation, deals and exchange of experiences, which contributes to advancing urban development in Libya.
Libya Observer
11-05-2025
- Business
- Libya Observer
27 Egyptian companies to participate in Libya Build exhibition in Tripoli
The Chairman of Egypt's Export Council for Chemical Industries and Fertilizers, Khaled Abu Al-Makarem, confirmed the participation of 27 Egyptian companies in the 17th edition of the Libya Build exhibition in Tripoli, scheduled to take place from May 12 to 15, 2025. The companies will exhibit over an area of 436 square meters, alongside participants from nine countries including Italy, Turkey, Egypt, France, Malta, Tunisia, Germany, China, and Austria. The event aims to strengthen economic cooperation between Egypt and Libya. According to Al-Mal newspaper, Abu Al-Makarem said that the participation seeks to boost the presence of Egyptian products in the Libyan market and open new channels of cooperation with Libyan partners, particularly given the growing demand for high-quality and competitively priced Egyptian chemical products. He stressed that the Libyan market is a vital destination for Egyptian exports, adding that the Libya Build exhibition serves as a strategic platform for enhancing trade relations between the two countries and increasing chemical exports, thereby supporting Egypt's national economy and its export growth targets. The Executive Director of the Export Council for Chemical Industries and Fertilizers, Mohamed Magid, said the council aims, through this participation, to open new markets for Egyptian companies and strengthen their footprint in the Libyan market, which offers promising opportunities for growth and investment. The Egyptian presence comes amid a surge in sector exports to Libya in 2024, with plastic product exports reaching around $103 million, inks and paints $94 million, detergents $36 million, various chemical products $15 million, glass products $13 million, and fertilizers $11 million, among other Egyptian goods.
Libya Review
10-05-2025
- Business
- Libya Review
27 Egyptian Firms Take Part in 2025 'Libya Build' Expo
Twenty-seven Egyptian companies are set to take part in the 17th edition of the Libya Build Exhibition, held in Tripoli from May 12 to 15, 2025. The participation marks a significant move to strengthen bilateral economic ties between Egypt and Libya, especially in the field of chemical and construction industries. The event will host exhibitors from nine countries, including Italy, Turkey, France, Germany, Malta, Tunisia, Austria, China, and Egypt, with the Egyptian pavilion covering 436 square meters. Khaled Abu El Makarem, Chairman of Egypt's Export Council for Chemical Industries and Fertilizers, stated that this participation reflects Egypt's growing commitment to deepening its economic presence in the Libyan market. He noted that the Libya Build platform serves as a strategic gateway for Egyptian companies to expand exports, build sustainable partnerships, and respond to the increasing demand for Egyptian chemical products, renowned for their quality and competitive pricing. Abu El Makarem highlighted Libya as a vital export destination, calling the exhibition a key opportunity to support Egypt's national strategy for increasing non-oil exports. 'Libya Build helps us bring Egyptian products to the forefront in a neighboring market with high commercial potential,' he added. Executive Director of the Council, Mohamed Magid, emphasized the importance of the event in opening new markets and expanding Egypt's economic footprint in North Africa. He reported a strong performance of Egyptian chemical exports to Libya during 2024, with plastic exports reaching $103 million, inks and paints $94 million, detergents $36 million, various chemical products $15 million, glass $13 million, and fertilizers $11 million. The exhibition will showcase a range of sectors including pipes, paints, insulation materials, sanitary ware, construction chemicals, electrical components, and timber products—providing ample opportunity for Egyptian companies to connect with Libyan counterparts and regional buyers. Tags: EgyptEgyptian firmsExportslibyaLibya Build
