No Result
View All Result
Wednesday, July 2, 2025
23 °c
Tripoli
24 ° Sat
24 ° Sun
  • Advertising
  • Contact
LibyaHerald
  • Home
  • Libya
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Magazine
  • Advertising
  • Login
  • Register
SUBSCRIBE
  • Home
  • Libya
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Magazine
  • Advertising
  • Login
  • Register
No Result
View All Result
LibyaHerald
No Result
View All Result
Home Libya

Libya almost ceasing to be a functioning state: Leon

byNigel Ash
June 4, 2015
Reading Time: 3 mins read
A A
Libya almost ceasing to be a functioning state: Leon

Delegates at today's opening session of UNSMIL's Algiers' meeting (Photo: UNSMIL)

By Hadi Foraji.

Delegates at today's opening session of UNSMIL's Algiers' meeting (Photo: UNSMIL)
Delegates at today’s opening session of UNSMIL’s Algiers’ meeting (Photo: UNSMIL)

Tripoli, 3 June 2015:

In his hardest-hitting public speech to date, UNSMIL chief Bernardino Leon has warned that Libya has . . .[restrict]reached “ a moment of truth”.  It was on the verge of ceasing to exist as a functioning state. He told politicians gathered in Algiers for a two-day meeting as part of the Dialogue, that while the two rivals continued to fight each other, the terror threat of IS was becoming ever more important.

With Ramadan approaching the choice had to be made between continued fighting and peace. “We are approaching the sacred month of Ramadan,” he said,  “a moment of peace, a moment of reconciliation, a moment for the families to get together and celebrate together and I think this is always said about all the countries in the world, and especially true in the case of Libya”.

Leon spoke of the paradox that both the government and Libya Dawn were each fighting IS (Daesh). This showed very clearly, he said, “that those who have been accusing Fajr Libya (Libya Dawn) of being a terrorist organisation now see how some of the most important militias in Fajr Libya are fighting Daesh … It means that we all have to agree that Fajr Libya is not a terrorist organisation but an organisation that can share values with many of the people in the other camp and can join these efforts to preserve the Libyan unity, the Libyan sovereignty and to fight those like Daesh who aim at destroying the Libyan state”.

RELATED POSTS

Following authentication of torture videos, UNSMIL reiterates importance of expediting investigation by Libyan Attorney-General into Derisi’s disappearance and torture

Following reports of military movements and escalating tensions in Tripoli and western region, UNSMIL calls on all parties to urgently de-escalate

Leon continued: “But at the same time, it is important for Fajr Libya also to understand that if they can have this common enemy that aims at destroying democracy, at destroying this modern state that all Libyans want to build, it means that this narrative that says that those in Tobruk and in other regions are people from the previous regime who are against democracy is also wrong.

“It means that these shared values of building a modern and democratic state are not a monopoly of Fajr Libya and other organisations but can be shared by all those present in both camps”.

Leon said that Libya now really was at the limit. As soon as six weeks, the Central Bank of Libya would very probably be unable to pay salaries. Libyan administration in both Beida and Tripoli would be faced with collapse.

Oil production had dropped, he said, but even if it recovered to 2011 levels,  it would not be able to sustain the budget deficit that Libya needs to maintain its public finances.

And while the rivals argued about negotiating positions, the threat from Daesh continued the rise. Everyone involved in the different tracks of the Dialogue needed to understand that they could no longer be seeking concessions from the other side.  It needed to be understood, said Leon,  that Libya had reached the limit. It was on the verge of becoming a failed state.

As evidence of this imminent failure, Leon pointed out that although an inherently rich country, Libya was currently receiving humanitarian aid from its neighbours.

“Many Libyans keep telling us that in a rich country, one of the richest countries in this region, it is unacceptable to see in many cities that people cannot have food or medicines; that brother countries in the region and in the international community have to send this international aid as if Libya was a poor country” said Leon.

The limited money that Libya was still earning “ is going to people who are killing each other and who at the same time are fighting this threat coming from Daesh. And this is even more difficult for Libyans in the street to understand”.

Leon continued: “Libyans are telling us very clearly that enough is enough and the time has come to make this agreement. We don’t want any more political debates about this small question here or there, we want the people who are negotiating to think of all Libya and to think especially of the Libyan people that is suffering”.

The UNSMIL chief accepted that there were still amendments that could be made to the Third Draft of the political agreement that he produced last month. But he warned that this should be considered as the final document.  If there were 20 drafts, maybe the perfect agreement would be reached but he said that Libya’s rivals did not have the time for further negotiations. The country was on the verge of collapse and the Daesh menace was growing. Libya was coming close to ceasing to exist as a functioning country.

 

LCDF support banner [/restrict]

Tags: AlgiersfeaturedLeonLibyaUNSMIL

Related Posts

Libyan Russian Economic Forum starts in St. Petersburg
Libya

Libyan Russian Economic Forum starts in St. Petersburg

June 27, 2025
MoI establishes Elections Security and Protection Department
Libya

Aldabaiba and Menfi stress use of polling feedback to establish consensus basis for constitutional process: report and analysis

June 26, 2025
GNU to take oath at Benghazi HoR session and budget to be approved at Tripoli session: GNU
Libya

“There is no state built by gangs and criminality, it’s built by engineers, youth, consultants, security, police and army”: Aldabaiba

June 23, 2025
GNU to take oath at Benghazi HoR session and budget to be approved at Tripoli session: GNU
Libya

187 new security posts taken over from militias – PM declares victory for the state as all vital Tripoli sites come under its exclusive control for the first time since 2011

June 19, 2025
Interior Ministry’s Diplomatic Missions Protection personnel receiving training in Ukraine
Libya

The Interior Ministry had spent LD 50 billion in 13 years with no result: Acting Interior Minister Trabelsi

June 17, 2025
Interior Ministry’s Diplomatic Missions Protection personnel receiving training in Ukraine
Libya

Nearly 1 million crimes reported to police stations – confirms urgent need to dissolve all parallel security agencies / militias

June 16, 2025
Next Post

Audit Bureau cancels all planned expenditure by Thinni government not approved by HoR

Foreign Minister Dairi discusses EU navy operation plans with EU foreign ministers; expresses opposition

ADVERTISEMENT

Top Stories

  • Libyan Italian Forum concludes with the signing of 98 MoUs

    Libyan Italian Forum concludes with the signing of 98 MoUs

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • CBL reveals discovery of LD 3.5 billion in counterfeit 50-dinar notes printed in Russia – PM calls on Attorney General to open investigation

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • First scheduled flight lands at Kufra airport – good news for Libya’s wider aviation sector

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Three Libyan companies win awards in Athens International Olive Oil Competition ‎

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Italian airliner ITA lands at Benghazi’s Benina airport for the first time in 14 years

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
ADVERTISEMENT
LibyaHerald

The Libya Herald first appeared on 17 February 2012 – the first anniversary of the Libyan Revolution. Since then, it has become a favourite go-to source on news about Libya, for many in Libya and around the world, regularly attracting millions of hits.

Recent News

All imports into Libya must be paid for through official bank transactions

Libya’s economy showed recovery in 2024, remained resilient despite reliance on hydrocarbons and ongoing political and security instability: World Bank

Sitemap

  • Why subscribe?
  • Terms & Conditions
  • FAQs
  • Copyright & Intellectual Property Rights
  • Subscribe now

Newsletters

    Be the first to know latest important news & events directly to your inbox.

    Sending ...

    By signing up, I agree to our TOS and Privacy Policy.

    © 2022 LibyaHerald - Powered by Sparx Solutions.

    Welcome Back!

    Login to your account below

    Forgotten Password? Sign Up

    Create New Account!

    Fill the forms below to register

    *By registering into our website, you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy.
    All fields are required. Log In

    Retrieve your password

    Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

    Log In
    No Result
    View All Result
    • Login
    • Sign Up
    • Libya
    • Business
    • Advertising
    • About us
    • BusinessEye Magazine
    • Letters
    • Features
    • Why subscribe?
    • FAQs
    • Contact

    © 2022 LibyaHerald - Powered by Sparx Solutions.

    This website uses cookies. By continuing to use this website you are giving consent to cookies being used. Visit our Privacy and Cookie Policy.