Is there hope for reforming Libya’s shattered economy?
In an interview with Al-Monitor, Libyan Economy and Industry Minister Nasser al-Dersi talks about the Government of National Accord’s new economic reform program and the challenges it faces.
CAIRO — The Tripoli-based Government of National Accord (GNA) in Libya is getting ready to implement an economic program that includes several areas of reform, including to the official exchange rate and the black market. The official price of a dinar currently stands at $1.37, while on the black market, it is 6.60 dinars to the dollar, with the currency increasingly losing value.
Al-Monitor interviewed Economy and Industry Minister Nasser al-Dersi by phone on Aug. 8 to discuss the elements of the forthcoming program and obstacles facing it. The big question is how will the GNA implement the program given the parallel interim government in eastern Libya and the Central Bank's division into a GNA branch based in Tripoli and another affiliated with the interim government in al-Bayda, in eastern Libya, and recognized by the Libyan parliament in Tobruk?
The text of the full interview follows.
Al-Monitor: What are the features of the economic program being prepared by the Ministry of Economy and the GNA prime minister, Fayez al-Sarraj?
