
Egypt, alongside nine other countries including Saudi Arabia, France, Germany, Italy, Qatar, T眉rkiye, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, and the United States of America, has welcomed the signing of Libya's unified 2026 budget. This marks Libya's first national budget in over a decade and is seen as a crucial step towards enhancing economic coordination between western and eastern Libyan leaders. The nations lauded the constructive approach taken to reach this agreement, which they believe will foster increased unity, stability, and prosperity for Libya. The statement highlighted that the full implementation of the budget will advance Libya's financial stability, protect the value of the dinar and the purchasing power of the Libyan people, and enable development projects and international investment across Libya. It will also strengthen vital technocratic institutions such as the Central Bank of Libya, National Oil Corporation, and Libyan Audit Bureau. The budget includes the National Oil Corporation's first operational budget in years and funding to boost energy production, with provisions for effective fund utilization. Increased oil and gas production is expected to drive prosperity for Libyans and their international partners, contributing to regional and global energy security. The countries reaffirmed their support for the United Nations Support Mission in Libya UNSMIL and the roadmap developed by UN Special Representative of the Secretary-General Hanna Tettc
Free daily or weekly digest of the most important stories from across 18 African countries. No spam, unsubscribe any time.
This summary was AI-generated from a story originally published by Egypt Today.
Must ReadThe European Union and the Gulf Cooperation Council have called on Iran to permanently reopen the Strait of Hormuz to international shipping without conditions or transit fees. In a joint statement, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas and the GCC presidency condemned Iranian attacks on commercial vessels in the strait and on the sovereign territories of regional countries including Bahrain, Kuwait, the UAE, Qatar, Oman, and Jordan. They stated these attacks endangered civilians and seafarers, violated international law and UN Security Council Resolution 2817, and were unjustifiable. Renewed fighting between the US and Iran has significantly reduced traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, a critical oil and gas shipping route, with Iran repeatedly attacking commercial vessels. Iran's Revolutionary Guards previously stated that no oil or gas would be exported through the strait as long as US attacks continued.

Iran's Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei stated that repeated US violations of a memorandum of understanding signed by the Iranian and US presidents demonstrate the US president's signature is "worthless" and "lacked credibility." According to Iran鈥檚 official news agency IRNA, Khamenei accused the United States of arrogance, unilateralism, and brutality, describing these as inherent to the American approach. He referred to Washington as "the great satan" for its breaches of commitments under the MoU. Khamenei condemned the US for what he termed "disregard for reason, utter untrustworthiness, and malicious intent." He warned that the Iranian nation and the Axis of Resistance have "unforgettable lessons" for Washington as the US seeks to "ignite war." He cited the courage of Iranian fighters and residents in the southern region as examples of these lessons. Mojtaba Khamenei has not been seen publicly since his father, former supreme leader Ali Khamenei, was killed in US-Israeli strikes on Iran on February 28. Last week, US President Donald Trump suggested Mojtaba Khamenei was likely deceased.
Must ReadNew York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani stated his administration is exploring options to arrest Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu should he visit the city for the UN General Assembly in September. Speaking on The Interview, a New York Times podcast, Mayor Mamdani expressed his belief that Netanyahu "belongs in The Hague," referencing the International Criminal Court which has issued an arrest warrant for Netanyahu on charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity during the conflict in Gaza. Mamdani acknowledged that it is unclear if he, as mayor, possesses the legal authority to direct the New York Police Department to detain a visiting foreign leader. He indicated his administration is in "an active conversation" with the city's Law Department regarding the matter, adding, "Whatever the law allows me to do in New York City, that鈥檚 what we will do, but we won鈥檛 be writing our own laws to that end."