The challenges facing privatization of infrastructure projects in Libya

Libya with its strategic location and natural resources stands as a crucial link between the Arab world, Europe, and Africa. The people of Libya have an optimistic outlook with regard to the Libyan economy after the suspension of the United Nations sanctions in 1999 that had been imposed on Libya in 1992, as well as the recent emphasis on privatization from the government. Since then, local and foreign investors have been encouraged to take a more prominent role in order to help privatize some of the state run-industries; the attention to privatization is aimed to help Libya’s economic growth and reduce its heavy dependency on oil revenues. Considering the economic situation, Libya is a rich country. However, it needs to modernize, it needs more and better infrastructure, it needs non-oil based financing, furthermore, it needs to develop a financial model for development and investment from the private sector. Although the Libyan government is working on the improvement of the business environment to make it more attractive for foreign investors in a way to move towards privatization, they have ignored some of the challenges that privatization will be facing in Libya. Privatization can not be implemented overnight. They have taken this for granted without careful consideration of its challenges. This paper attempts to investigate and discuss the challenges that need to be taken into account before privatization of infrastructure projects can be introduced in Libya. This paper is based on interviews with senior technical officials in the government.

Emerging agricultural hydrology problems in post-conflict Libya

This paper develops a conceptual framework for analyzing emerging agricultural hydrology problems in post-conflict Libya. Libya is one of the most arid regions on the planet. Thus, as well as substantial political and social changes, post-conflict Libyan administrators are confronted with important hydrological issues in Libya’s emerging water-landuse complex. This paper presents a substantial background to the water-land-use problem in Libya; reviews previous work in Libya and elsewhere on water-land-use issues and water-land-use conflicts in the dry and arid zones; outlines a conceptual framework for fruitful research interventions; and details the results of a survey conducted on Libyan farmers’ water usage, perceptions of emerging water-land-use conflicts and the appropriate value one should place on agricultural-use hydrological resources in Libya. Extensions are discussed.

Patterns of hominin occupation and cultural diversity across the Gebel Akhdar of Northern Libya over the last ~200 kyr

Excavations at Haua Fteah cave in Cyrenaica, Libya, have revealed a cultural sequence that may span the last glacial–interglacial-glacial cycle. The TRANS-NAP project has been re-excavating Haua Fteah and conducting geoarchaeological survey of an ecologically diverse landscape that includes the fertile Gebel Akhdar and littoral, pre-desert, and desert biomes. A major aim of this project is to characterize cultural and environmental changes across the region and correlate the surface archaeology with that from Haua Fteah. To date, 181 sites have been recorded, ranging from the Middle Stone Age (MSA) to Late Stone Age (LSA). Their geographic distribution suggests temporal variation in patterns of hominin habitat preference, with significantly more LSA than MSA sites at higher elevations. The surface archaeology also points to substantial spatiotemporal technological variation within the MSA. These patterns may be explained by both paleoenvironmental change and paleodemographic shifts in the region, resulting in a variety of hominin adaptive responses.

A new species of Potamotrygonocestus Brooks & Thorson, 1976 (Eucestoda : Tetraphyllidea) from Plesiotrygon iwamae Rosa, Castello & Thorson (Mylliobatoidea : Potamotrygonidae) and a redescription of Potamotrygonocestus chaoi Marques, Brooks & Araujo, 2003

Potamotrygonocestus Brooks & Thorson, 1976 is currently represented by six recognised species of tetraphyllidean cestodes inhabiting Neotropical freshwater stingrays. Potamotrygonid stingrays examined to date have included only a single specimen of Plesiotrygon iwamae. Only one species of tetraphyllidean, Potamotrygonocestus chaoi Marques, Brooks & Araujo, 2003, has been described from this host, and this description was based on limited material. New efforts to document the diversity in this host species resulted in the collection of eight additional specimens of P. iwamae, one of these from the upper Rio Solimoes, at Sao Paulo de Olivenca Amazonas during September, 2003, and seven from the Baia do Marajo, Para, during November, 2003. The specimen from the upper Solimoees was found to be infected with P. chaoi. Voucher material from this stingray was used for the redescription of this cestode, which is characterized by strobila 8.78-22.83 mm long and a great number of proglottides, 58-93; the new material provided strobilar length and proglottis counts for complete worms. Potamotrygonocestus marajoara n. sp. is the second species of this genus reported from Plesiotrygon iwamae, although it appears to be restricted to the lower Amazon. This new species resembles P. chaoi in possessing filitriches and blade-like spinitriches on the scolex, cephalic peduncle and cirrus, but differs from other species of the genus in the number of testes, which is 44 on average per proglottis, and by having apical sucker measuring 95-175 mu m in length. Additional data on the distribution and morphology of the microtriches and a detailed description of the female reproductive system are also provided in this study.

Biologia reprodutiva e hábito alimentar de Eigenmannia trilineata López & Castello, 1966 (Teleostei, Sternopygidae) do Parque Estadual de Itapuã, Rio Grande do Sul, Brasil

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Petrogenesis of Cenozoic volcanic rocks in the NW sector of the Gharyan volcanic field, Libya

The north-western sector of the Gharyan volcanic field (northern Libya) consists of trachytic-phonolitic domes emplaced between similar to 41 and 38 Ma, and small-volume mafic alkaline volcanic centres (basanites, tephrites. alkali basalts. hawaiites and rare benmoreites) of Middle Miocene-Pliocene age (similar to 12-2 Ma). Two types of trachytes and phonolites have been recognized on the basis of petrography, mineralogy and geochemistry. Type-1 trachytes and phonolites display a smooth spoon-shaped REE pattern without negative Europium anomalies. Type-2 trachytes and phonolites show a remarkable Eu negative anomaly, higher concentration in HFSE (Nb-Ta-Zr-Hf), REE and Ti than Type-1 rocks. The origin of Type-1 trachytes and phonolites is compatible with removal of clinopyroxene, plagioclase, alkali feldspar, amphibole. magnetite and titanite starting from benmoreitic magmas. found in the same outcrops. Type-2 trachytes and phonolites could be the result of extensive fractional crystallization starting from mafic alkaline magma, without removal of titanite. In primitive mantle-normalized diagrams, the mafic rocks (Mg#= 62-68, Cr up to 514 ppm, Ni up to 425 ppm) show peaks at Nb and Ta and troughs at K. These characteristics, coupled with low Sr-87/Sr-86(i) (0.7033-0.7038) and positive epsilon(Nd) (from +4.2 to + 5.3) features typical of the mafic anorogenic magmas of the northern African plate and of HIMU-OIB-like magma in general. The origin of the mafic rocks is compatible from a derivation from low degree partial melting (3-9%) shallow mantle sources in the spinel/gamet facies. placed just below the rigid plate in the uppermost low-velocity zone. The origin of the igneous activity is considered linked to passive lithospheric thinning related to the development of continental rifts like those of Sicily Channel (e.g.. Pantelleria and Linosa) and Sardinia (e.g., Campidano Graben) in the Central-Western Mediterranean Sea. (C) 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Restauro e valorizzazione del castello di Zocco

La tesi di laurea che verrà qui di seguito presentata, ha l’obiettivo di far vedere come interventi di consolidamento attuati al fine di mettere in sicurezza una struttura esistente possano essere utilizzati come presidi per il riuso, occasioni in cui far fondere in progetto architettonico di recupero di un manufatto con interventi tecnologici-strutturali atti a salvaguardarlo. Si cercherà perciò di far andare di pari passo questi due elementi evitando che uno di essi prevalga sull’altro e considerandoli in modo unitario e non come due progetti separati. L’edificio preso in esame è il Castello di Zocco. Risalente al XII secolo, è situato su una piccola collina lungo le sponde del Lago Trasimeno in Provincia di Perugia. Esso è costituito da una cinta muraria al cui interno sono presenti pochi edifici in pessimo stato di conservazione, è attualmente in disuso e presenta notevoli dissesti strutturali. Il castello è stato studiato da tutti i punti di vista al fine di formulare un’ipotesi di riutilizzo. Ne è stata inizialmente analizzata la posizione geografica-territoriale elemento significativo sia per la sua storia che per la sua organizzazione insediativa. Successivamente, dallo studio storico, si è intrapresa un’analisi dei sistemi costruttivi e della consistenza indispensabili per una migliore comprensione del complesso. Uno studio approfondito di tutto ciò, unito ad un’analisi dettagliata dei dissesti statici e dei meccanismi di danno e collasso, è stato il punto di partenza per l’elaborazione di un progetto architettonico che andasse di pari passo con il consolidamento strutturale compatibile con l’edificio stesso.

Il castello di Montebello tra conservazione e riprogettazione dell’esistente

L’oggetto del progetto di restauro è il Castello di Montebello, un’antica fortezza inserita all’interno del circuito di costruzioni militari della Valle del Marecchia, dunque un oggetto della storia e nella storia. Dunque un’attenta fase diagnostica-conoscitiva deve costituire la premessa indispensabile a qualsiasi intervento sulla preesistenza. Così a partire dai dati conoscitivi assunti si sono delineati gli obiettivi del progetto. L’obiettivo conservativo viene, in questo caso specifico, raggiunto non solo attraverso la conservazione vera e propria, ma anche attraverso la demolizione: una quasi paradossale demolizione per la conservazione. Le strutture introdotte con l’intervento di ricostruzione degli anni Sessanta del Novecento effettuato sul manufatto storico infatti, non solo, non introducono valore aggiuntivo all’opera,ma ne compromettono, per soluzioni, materiali ed incertezza costruttiva, la spazialità e la sicurezza, dunque la conservazione. Così, attraverso operazioni ora di conservazione, ora di demolizione e ricostruzione si è cercato di predisporre la fabbrica affinché, in modo sicuro possa accogliere una funzione, necessariamente compatibile e rispettosa del manufatto, che ne consenta il prolungamento della vita e la conservazione nel tempo. La funzione museale, finalizzata alla valorizzazione del complesso difensivo e all’esposizione della collezione epigrafica della famiglia proprietaria sembrano rispondere appieno alle domande del progetto di restauro.