Libyans Have Lost Faith In The Political Order Us Diplomat Says After Clashes In Tripoli Libya

More than 32 people were killed and 150 injured in clashes in the capital last week between militias allied with rival prime ministers Abdul Hamid Dbeibah and Fathi Bashagha. Dbeiba’s Government of National Unity, which he has led since last year and controls the western part of the country, has been based in Tripoli since the fall of Muammar Gaddafi’s regime in 2011, while Basaga has been in charge of the eastern part of the country since March. , backed by military strongman Khalifa Haftar. Bashaga’s allied militia, including a brigade commanded by a wealthy gangster named Haitham al-Tajuri, entered Tripoli to try to overthrow Dbeiba’s government, but were soundly defeated. Jeffrey De Laurentiis, a senior adviser at the US mission to the United Nations, gave a bleak assessment of Libya’s prospects at the UN Security Council meeting on Monday. Libyans, he said, “are losing hope that their country can be freed from corruption and foreign influence, that the armed forces can be unified and that foreign fighters, forces and mercenaries will withdraw. They are deprived of basic public services, while strong cuts agree to distribute hydrocarbon revenues according to their own interests, especially to militias controlled by various factions, robbing the Libyan people of its national wealth.” The UN debate produced few new ideas, apart from a call for the Security Council to urgently agree on a new UN special envoy for Libya. Libya has been without an envoy since November due to political divisions. Senegalese diplomat Abdoulaye Bathily has been nominated but has been blocked by some Libyans who fear he will be ineffective. The Security Council also heard that the UN panel of experts had named Turkey as one of the countries in flagrant violation of the UN arms embargo. Tarek Megerisi, a Libya expert at the European Council on Foreign Relations thinktank, said last week’s violence marked the first time heavy weapons and artillery had been used in central Tripoli during the current standoff. “The result leaves Dbeiba stronger for now, but only highlights the need for yet another absent political process,” he added. National elections under the auspices of the UN – a real possibility a year ago and seen as the only avenue to give a new mandate to political leaders and institutions – look further afield than ever before. National elections were due to be held on December 24 last year, but disputes over their constitutional basis and who is eligible to vote led to their being postponed indefinitely, creating a dangerous vacuum that has been filled by a renewed military power struggle. Many politicians are against holding elections, as defeat risks depriving them of access to power, patronage and resources. Dbeiba, appointed by a UN-backed body in February 2021 as prime minister, has said he will not step down until the vote is held, effectively cementing himself in power. He claimed his government was under planned aggression over the weekend from within and without. Bashaga, who was recognized in February as prime minister by the Tobruk-based parliament, the House of Representatives, blamed corruption on Dbeiba’s part for the militias’ continued power in Tripoli. “Dbeibah was the one who exploited state resources to support armed groups,” he said. Haftar, the leader of the self-proclaimed Libyan National Army based in the east, expressed his displeasure at the setback for Bashagha, a relatively recent ally. Seemingly unwilling to accept the reverse, he called for Libya to be bailed out, but did not specify how this might be achieved. Bashaga has denied involvement in the weekend violence, but militia groups supporting him have been repulsed three times in attempts to enter Tripoli. Karim Mezran, of the Atlantic Council, described the Libyan militia as “criminal organizations that are entirely devoted to power and money, and grabbing resources at any cost. It is a mistake to think of these as political ideological organizations, but instead as mafia organizations that have a legitimate interest in preventing the development of a functioning state.” The fighting also has short-term geopolitical implications. Giorgia Meloni, the far-right front-runner in Italy’s election, used the violence in Tripoli to renew her call for an EU-led mission to impose a naval blockade on north Africa and prevent migrants from reaching Italian shores. In the first six months of this year, 27,633 refugees and migrants arrived in Italy by sea, compared to 20,532 in the same period in 2021, according to figures from the UN High Commissioner for Refugees. The appointment of a strong but balanced new special envoy is seen as critical to the next phase in Libya. Stephanie Williams, who was the secretary-general’s representative but not the Security Council envoy, was steeped in Libyan politics. Williams, an American, tried to shame the political classes in Tripoli and the East into organizing elections and supported a new, younger political class. It almost secured its goal by securing a national ceasefire agreement in October 2020, the adoption of the political road map by the Libyan Forum for Political Dialogue in November 2020, and progress between East and West on the constitutional framework for elections. However, there has been less progress in meeting the planned deadline for the withdrawal of foreign forces or the level of reconciliation needed to hold national elections.

title: “Libyans Have Lost Faith In The Political Order Us Diplomat Says After Clashes In Tripoli Libya Klmat” ShowToc: true date: “2022-10-24” author: “Ana Moran”

More than 32 people were killed and 150 injured in clashes in the capital last week between militias allied with rival prime ministers Abdul Hamid Dbeibah and Fathi Bashagha. Dbeiba’s Government of National Unity, which he has led since last year and controls the western part of the country, has been based in Tripoli since the fall of Muammar Gaddafi’s regime in 2011, while Basaga has been in charge of the eastern part of the country since March. , backed by military strongman Khalifa Haftar. Bashaga’s allied militia, including a brigade commanded by a wealthy gangster named Haitham al-Tajuri, entered Tripoli to try to overthrow Dbeiba’s government, but were soundly defeated. Jeffrey De Laurentiis, a senior adviser at the US mission to the United Nations, gave a bleak assessment of Libya’s prospects at the UN Security Council meeting on Monday. Libyans, he said, “are losing hope that their country can be freed from corruption and foreign influence, that the armed forces can be unified and that foreign fighters, forces and mercenaries will withdraw. They are deprived of basic public services, while strong cuts agree to distribute hydrocarbon revenues according to their own interests, especially to militias controlled by various factions, robbing the Libyan people of its national wealth.” The UN debate produced few new ideas, apart from a call for the Security Council to urgently agree on a new UN special envoy for Libya. Libya has been without an envoy since November due to political divisions. Senegalese diplomat Abdoulaye Bathily has been nominated but has been blocked by some Libyans who fear he will be ineffective. The Security Council also heard that the UN panel of experts had named Turkey as one of the countries in flagrant violation of the UN arms embargo. Tarek Megerisi, a Libya expert at the European Council on Foreign Relations thinktank, said last week’s violence marked the first time heavy weapons and artillery had been used in central Tripoli during the current standoff. “The result leaves Dbeiba stronger for now, but only highlights the need for yet another absent political process,” he added. National elections under the auspices of the UN – a real possibility a year ago and seen as the only avenue to give a new mandate to political leaders and institutions – look further afield than ever before. National elections were due to be held on December 24 last year, but disputes over their constitutional basis and who is eligible to vote led to their being postponed indefinitely, creating a dangerous vacuum that has been filled by a renewed military power struggle. Many politicians are against holding elections, as defeat risks depriving them of access to power, patronage and resources. Dbeiba, appointed by a UN-backed body in February 2021 as prime minister, has said he will not step down until the vote is held, effectively cementing himself in power. He claimed his government was under planned aggression over the weekend from within and without. Bashaga, who was recognized in February as prime minister by the Tobruk-based parliament, the House of Representatives, blamed corruption on Dbeiba’s part for the militias’ continued power in Tripoli. “Dbeibah was the one who exploited state resources to support armed groups,” he said. Haftar, the leader of the self-proclaimed Libyan National Army based in the east, expressed his displeasure at the setback for Bashagha, a relatively recent ally. Seemingly unwilling to accept the reverse, he called for Libya to be bailed out, but did not specify how this might be achieved. Bashaga has denied involvement in the weekend violence, but militia groups supporting him have been repulsed three times in attempts to enter Tripoli. Karim Mezran, of the Atlantic Council, described the Libyan militia as “criminal organizations that are entirely devoted to power and money, and grabbing resources at any cost. It is a mistake to think of these as political ideological organizations, but instead as mafia organizations that have a legitimate interest in preventing the development of a functioning state.” The fighting also has short-term geopolitical implications. Giorgia Meloni, the far-right front-runner in Italy’s election, used the violence in Tripoli to renew her call for an EU-led mission to impose a naval blockade on north Africa and prevent migrants from reaching Italian shores. In the first six months of this year, 27,633 refugees and migrants arrived in Italy by sea, compared to 20,532 in the same period in 2021, according to figures from the UN High Commissioner for Refugees. The appointment of a strong but balanced new special envoy is seen as critical to the next phase in Libya. Stephanie Williams, who was the secretary-general’s representative but not the Security Council envoy, was steeped in Libyan politics. Williams, an American, tried to shame the political classes in Tripoli and the East into organizing elections and supported a new, younger political class. It almost secured its goal by securing a national ceasefire agreement in October 2020, the adoption of the political road map by the Libyan Forum for Political Dialogue in November 2020, and progress between East and West on the constitutional framework for elections. However, there has been less progress in meeting the planned deadline for the withdrawal of foreign forces or the level of reconciliation needed to hold national elections.

title: “Libyans Have Lost Faith In The Political Order Us Diplomat Says After Clashes In Tripoli Libya Klmat” ShowToc: true date: “2022-10-28” author: “David Cruz”

More than 32 people were killed and 150 injured in clashes in the capital last week between militias allied with rival prime ministers Abdul Hamid Dbeibah and Fathi Bashagha. Dbeiba’s Government of National Unity, which he has led since last year and controls the western part of the country, has been based in Tripoli since the fall of Muammar Gaddafi’s regime in 2011, while Basaga has been in charge of the eastern part of the country since March. , backed by military strongman Khalifa Haftar. Bashaga’s allied militia, including a brigade commanded by a wealthy gangster named Haitham al-Tajuri, entered Tripoli to try to overthrow Dbeiba’s government, but were soundly defeated. Jeffrey De Laurentiis, a senior adviser at the US mission to the United Nations, gave a bleak assessment of Libya’s prospects at the UN Security Council meeting on Monday. Libyans, he said, “are losing hope that their country can be freed from corruption and foreign influence, that the armed forces can be unified and that foreign fighters, forces and mercenaries will withdraw. They are deprived of basic public services, while strong cuts agree to distribute hydrocarbon revenues according to their own interests, especially to militias controlled by various factions, robbing the Libyan people of its national wealth.” The UN debate produced few new ideas, apart from a call for the Security Council to urgently agree on a new UN special envoy for Libya. Libya has been without an envoy since November due to political divisions. Senegalese diplomat Abdoulaye Bathily has been nominated but has been blocked by some Libyans who fear he will be ineffective. The Security Council also heard that the UN panel of experts had named Turkey as one of the countries in flagrant violation of the UN arms embargo. Tarek Megerisi, a Libya expert at the European Council on Foreign Relations thinktank, said last week’s violence marked the first time heavy weapons and artillery had been used in central Tripoli during the current standoff. “The result leaves Dbeiba stronger for now, but only highlights the need for yet another absent political process,” he added. National elections under the auspices of the UN – a real possibility a year ago and seen as the only avenue to give a new mandate to political leaders and institutions – look further afield than ever before. National elections were due to be held on December 24 last year, but disputes over their constitutional basis and who is eligible to vote led to their being postponed indefinitely, creating a dangerous vacuum that has been filled by a renewed military power struggle. Many politicians are against holding elections, as defeat risks depriving them of access to power, patronage and resources. Dbeiba, appointed by a UN-backed body in February 2021 as prime minister, has said he will not step down until the vote is held, effectively cementing himself in power. He claimed his government was under planned aggression over the weekend from within and without. Bashaga, who was recognized in February as prime minister by the Tobruk-based parliament, the House of Representatives, blamed corruption on Dbeiba’s part for the militias’ continued power in Tripoli. “Dbeibah was the one who exploited state resources to support armed groups,” he said. Haftar, the leader of the self-proclaimed Libyan National Army based in the east, expressed his displeasure at the setback for Bashagha, a relatively recent ally. Seemingly unwilling to accept the reverse, he called for Libya to be bailed out, but did not specify how this might be achieved. Bashaga has denied involvement in the weekend violence, but militia groups supporting him have been repulsed three times in attempts to enter Tripoli. Karim Mezran, of the Atlantic Council, described the Libyan militia as “criminal organizations that are entirely devoted to power and money, and grabbing resources at any cost. It is a mistake to think of these as political ideological organizations, but instead as mafia organizations that have a legitimate interest in preventing the development of a functioning state.” The fighting also has short-term geopolitical implications. Giorgia Meloni, the far-right front-runner in Italy’s election, used the violence in Tripoli to renew her call for an EU-led mission to impose a naval blockade on north Africa and prevent migrants from reaching Italian shores. In the first six months of this year, 27,633 refugees and migrants arrived in Italy by sea, compared to 20,532 in the same period in 2021, according to figures from the UN High Commissioner for Refugees. The appointment of a strong but balanced new special envoy is seen as critical to the next phase in Libya. Stephanie Williams, who was the secretary-general’s representative but not the Security Council envoy, was steeped in Libyan politics. Williams, an American, tried to shame the political classes in Tripoli and the East into organizing elections and supported a new, younger political class. It almost secured its goal by securing a national ceasefire agreement in October 2020, the adoption of the political road map by the Libyan Forum for Political Dialogue in November 2020, and progress between East and West on the constitutional framework for elections. However, there has been less progress in meeting the planned deadline for the withdrawal of foreign forces or the level of reconciliation needed to hold national elections.

title: “Libyans Have Lost Faith In The Political Order Us Diplomat Says After Clashes In Tripoli Libya Klmat” ShowToc: true date: “2022-11-18” author: “James Perkins”

More than 32 people were killed and 150 injured in clashes in the capital last week between militias allied with rival prime ministers Abdul Hamid Dbeibah and Fathi Bashagha. Dbeiba’s Government of National Unity, which he has led since last year and controls the western part of the country, has been based in Tripoli since the fall of Muammar Gaddafi’s regime in 2011, while Basaga has been in charge of the eastern part of the country since March. , backed by military strongman Khalifa Haftar. Bashaga’s allied militia, including a brigade commanded by a wealthy gangster named Haitham al-Tajuri, entered Tripoli to try to overthrow Dbeiba’s government, but were soundly defeated. Jeffrey De Laurentiis, a senior adviser at the US mission to the United Nations, gave a bleak assessment of Libya’s prospects at the UN Security Council meeting on Monday. Libyans, he said, “are losing hope that their country can be freed from corruption and foreign influence, that the armed forces can be unified and that foreign fighters, forces and mercenaries will withdraw. They are deprived of basic public services, while strong cuts agree to distribute hydrocarbon revenues according to their own interests, especially to militias controlled by various factions, robbing the Libyan people of its national wealth.” The UN debate produced few new ideas, apart from a call for the Security Council to urgently agree on a new UN special envoy for Libya. Libya has been without an envoy since November due to political divisions. Senegalese diplomat Abdoulaye Bathily has been nominated but has been blocked by some Libyans who fear he will be ineffective. The Security Council also heard that the UN panel of experts had named Turkey as one of the countries in flagrant violation of the UN arms embargo. Tarek Megerisi, a Libya expert at the European Council on Foreign Relations thinktank, said last week’s violence marked the first time heavy weapons and artillery had been used in central Tripoli during the current standoff. “The result leaves Dbeiba stronger for now, but only highlights the need for yet another absent political process,” he added. National elections under the auspices of the UN – a real possibility a year ago and seen as the only avenue to give a new mandate to political leaders and institutions – look further afield than ever before. National elections were due to be held on December 24 last year, but disputes over their constitutional basis and who is eligible to vote led to their being postponed indefinitely, creating a dangerous vacuum that has been filled by a renewed military power struggle. Many politicians are against holding elections, as defeat risks depriving them of access to power, patronage and resources. Dbeiba, appointed by a UN-backed body in February 2021 as prime minister, has said he will not step down until the vote is held, effectively cementing himself in power. He claimed his government was under planned aggression over the weekend from within and without. Bashaga, who was recognized in February as prime minister by the Tobruk-based parliament, the House of Representatives, blamed corruption on Dbeiba’s part for the militias’ continued power in Tripoli. “Dbeibah was the one who exploited state resources to support armed groups,” he said. Haftar, the leader of the self-proclaimed Libyan National Army based in the east, expressed his displeasure at the setback for Bashagha, a relatively recent ally. Seemingly unwilling to accept the reverse, he called for Libya to be bailed out, but did not specify how this might be achieved. Bashaga has denied involvement in the weekend violence, but militia groups supporting him have been repulsed three times in attempts to enter Tripoli. Karim Mezran, of the Atlantic Council, described the Libyan militia as “criminal organizations that are entirely devoted to power and money, and grabbing resources at any cost. It is a mistake to think of these as political ideological organizations, but instead as mafia organizations that have a legitimate interest in preventing the development of a functioning state.” The fighting also has short-term geopolitical implications. Giorgia Meloni, the far-right front-runner in Italy’s election, used the violence in Tripoli to renew her call for an EU-led mission to impose a naval blockade on north Africa and prevent migrants from reaching Italian shores. In the first six months of this year, 27,633 refugees and migrants arrived in Italy by sea, compared to 20,532 in the same period in 2021, according to figures from the UN High Commissioner for Refugees. The appointment of a strong but balanced new special envoy is seen as critical to the next phase in Libya. Stephanie Williams, who was the secretary-general’s representative but not the Security Council envoy, was steeped in Libyan politics. Williams, an American, tried to shame the political classes in Tripoli and the East into organizing elections and supported a new, younger political class. It almost secured its goal by securing a national ceasefire agreement in October 2020, the adoption of the political road map by the Libyan Forum for Political Dialogue in November 2020, and progress between East and West on the constitutional framework for elections. However, there has been less progress in meeting the planned deadline for the withdrawal of foreign forces or the level of reconciliation needed to hold national elections.