Libya reopens airspace between its eastern and western regions

The airspace between eastern and western Libya has been closed to domestic civilian flights for three weeks as a result of political differences in the country. Especially after the House of Representatives appointed Fathi Bashagha as the replacement for Prime Minister Abdel Hamid Dbeibé.

The administrations of Maitika and Misurata airports announced this news in two separate statements posted on their respective Facebook profiles. "We announce the resumption of domestic flights from Maitika international airport to the airports of Benina, Tobruk and Al-Abraq". 

Al-Massar TV assures that the verbal instructions given by the Prime Minister's Office to the Civil Aviation Authority have been followed. For its part, Bashagha called the closure of all Libyan airspace "a violation of the right of movement and an attack on political and constitutional authority".

Stephanie Williams, UN Special Adviser to Libya, called for the resumption of travel between Tripoli and Benghazi, appealing to freedom of movement as a fundamental human right. "I join Libyans in calling on the relevant authorities to resume civilian flights without delay," she said.

Dbeibé was responsible for taking this measure, which led to increased suffering for the people. The Libya for All party was quick to issue its complaint, saying that such practices posed a threat to the stability and unity of a nation affected by a deep economic and political crisis.

The main objective of the complaint was the immediate opening of airspace as national laws and international standards, such as Article 13 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and Titles 12 and 13 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, guarantee freedom of movement.

He also called for the Prosecutor General's Office to open an immediate investigation into the outgoing prime minister. With this act, Dbeibé sought to "undermine the Libyan social fabric", resume hate speech and restore the state of division suffered over a long period of time.

The Libyan Organisation for Human Rights condemned the suspension of civilian flights for the ninth consecutive day, particularly affecting the most vulnerable groups. It also stressed the need to spare citizens the "scourge" of confrontation between the different political factions. 

The return of domestic flights offers hope that the new government will be able to take office peacefully. Dbeibé insists that cabinet tasks should only be handed over to a democratically elected authority. His dissatisfaction has led him to take several decisions aimed at preventing the formation of the new government.

In order not to relinquish his powers, he once again raised fears of a possible armed confrontation, as he made known during the sixth edition of the Forum of Gas Exporting Countries (FPEG). He highlighted the close relationship between the outbreak of a conflict and the decline of oil and gas production in Libya.

In addition to closing the airspace and the coastal road linking the east and west of the territory, he issued the arrest warrant for Hafez Kaddour and Salha al-Toumi, the Foreign and Culture Ministers, respectively. Both delegates were on their way to the city of Tobruk to attend the swearing-in session of Fathi Bashagha.