Speaking to Libya Herald on the current impasse in Libya’s political roadmap, Rabie Shreir, a former member of the UN-organised Libyan Political Dialogue, warned that the multiplicity of international and regional interventions in the Libyan political file contributes to complicating the situation instead of pushing towards a genuine and sustainable solution.
Status quo prolonging crisis
He explained that the pragmatic approach adopted by Massad Boulos, president Trump’s Middle East Advisor, in dealing with the Libyan crisis, based on managing the reality and dealing with the centres of power as they are, could practically lead to entrenching the state of division and deepening what he described as the “flawed reality” that Libya has been experiencing for years. He stressed that any understandings built on this basis, without a radical solution to the issue of political legitimacy and the unity of state institutions, will only prolong the crisis.
Weak UNSMIL
He also expressed his regret at the weak performance of the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) and its inability, thus far, to formulate a clear and effective path to end the political deadlock and restore the Libyan people’s confidence in the political process.
Absence of active European role
In this context, he questioned the reasons for the absence of an active European role in addressing the Libyan crisis, despite the fact that stability in Libya is a direct interest for Europe, linked to Mediterranean security, energy, trade, and migration. He emphasized that the weakness of European diplomacy towards Libya and Mediterranean crises in general opens the door to destructive international and regional interventions, the political, security, and economic costs of which will be borne by both Libyans and Europeans.
Call for a unified European policy
He pointed out that the European Union, with its system of values based on democracy, transparency, and human rights, may be the most reliable partner in supporting stability in Libya. He called for a unified and clear European policy, far removed from unilateral initiatives that may be issued by some European countries outside the framework of the Union’s common foreign policy.
Call for a unified Arab role
He also stressed that this principle should extend to the Arab role, warning against the unilateral interventions of some Arab countries that have contributed to complicating the Libyan situation. He emphasized the necessity for the Arab vision towards Libya to be formulated collectively through the Gulf Cooperation Council and the League of Arab States.
Unilateral interventions perpetuating crisis
Shreir concluded by emphasizing that Libya, Europe, and the Arab world constitute an interconnected geographical and political space, and that the current stage requires collective and responsible approaches that contribute to ending the division and relaunching a serious political process that leads to building unified and capable state institutions, far from any interventions from forces outside the region and paths that perpetuate the crisis.
