Germany to give €100m in loans to Libya rebels

NERLIN – Germany said on Sunday that it is loaning Libya’s rebel leadership €100m (N$970m) to help with the country’s rebuilding and humanitarian needs.

The Foreign Ministry said it is granting urgently needed funding as a loan because frozen assets related to Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi cannot yet be released.The situation in Libya is difficult because of a lack of funding ‘to build up the necessary structures and overcome supply shortages – from medical care to food,’ Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle said. ‘Particularly in eastern Libya, people are suffering more and more from this.’The money will be paid back from frozen Gaddafi assets once the UN Security Council has released them to Libya’s new government, Westerwelle added. Germany has said it froze ‘several billion’ euros.Germany is not participating in Nato airstrikes on Libyan government military targets and abstained in the UN vote authorising a no-fly zone.However, it has called for Gaddafi to go, and Westerwelle announced during a visit last month to the rebel stronghold of Benghazi that Germany was recognising the rebels’ National Transitional Council as Libya’s legitimate representative.- Nampa-AP