Libya: a report reveals the extent of corruption within institutions

The government of national accord led by former Prime Minister Fayez al-Sarraj has spent 26 billion dinars, the equivalent of 1.3 billion euros, for no legitimate reason.

(Illustrative photo) AFP/Mahmud Turkia

Text by: RFI Follow

1 min

The latest report from the Court of Auditors for the 2020-2021 financial year indicates that very large sums have been stolen from the State treasury by all Libyan institutions, without exception, in the west of the country as well as in the 'East.

Billions have been siphoned off for government projects that have not materialized.

Several United Nations reports have also denounced the widespread state of corruption in Libya. 

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The government of national accord led by former Prime Minister Fayez al-Sarraj has spent 26 billion dinars, the equivalent of 1.3 billion euros, for no legitimate reason.

This government also paid salaries to many fictitious employees.

La Noc, the National Oil Corporation is also accused of such embezzlement.

The situation is not much different with regard to the former government of Abdallah al-Thani in the east of the country, whose debts exceeded 60 billion dinars, also spent in obscure ways.

According to the report, corruption also affects the Central Bank, which did not deign to provide supporting documents, and refused to answer questions from the Court of Auditors concerning a suspicion of money laundering. 

Finally, the report notes, large sums of public money have been distributed to militias and armed forces in Tripoli.

According to the latest Transparency report on the perception of corruption in 180 countries, Libya is at the bottom of the scale alongside Afghanistan, Venezuela and Syria.

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  • Libya

  • Corruption