The National Accord Bloc of the High Council of State announced on Wednesday that it had submitted a report to the Attorney General against the Chairman of the National Oil Corporation (NOC), Farhat Bengdara, accusing him of holding the citizenship of another country (referring to but naming allegedly; the UAE), which “makes him lose the Libyan citizenship”.
Conflict of Interest
The Accord Bloc called for an investigation into a “conflict of interest” and suspicions of corruption related to oil contracts that were signed in the past years and specifically granted to the country of Bengdara’s second citizenship (allegedly; the UAE).
The Bloc said that it had submitted an official complaint with the Attorney General “attached with documents indicating that Bengdara held the citizenship of another country, which would deprive him of Libyan citizenship according to law, and prevent him from holding any sovereign position.”
It also stressed that it had asked the Attorney General to investigate a conflict of interest behind deals signed by Bengdara with companies from the same country of his second citizenship – (allegedly; the UAE.)
Corruption Alert
NOC Chairman Bengdara had previously faced accusations of corruption by giving away Libyan state’s funds to foreign countries and companies after the spotlight was shed on the Hamada oil field development contract, which gave the coalition of foreign companies contributing to the project 40% of its revenues: a deal that was considered a dangerous precedent in the Libyan oil sector, especially with the Libyan ability to carry out the development process without the need for foreign partners.
The accusations came to the surface again after the recent Bengdara’s support and marketing of the UAE company Abu Dhabi National Oil Company’s (ADNOC) desire to sell its stake in Libyan Emirates Oil Refining Company (LERCO), the operator of the Ras Lanuf oil refinery, to an anonymous partner, which many considered an insult to the State of Libya if the country agreed to the sale without knowing the identity of the buyer.
