Archive for the ‘Libya’ Category

What’s at Stake in Libya? | by Bernard Haykel – Project Syndicate

The battle for Libya is a complicated affair involving not just the warring parties on the ground, but also a host of regional and global powers vying for regional influence and control of energy resources. And, unless it ends soon, it could sow instability in neighboring countries and trigger more waves of refugees fleeing to Europe.

PRINCETON The ongoing war in Libya is a microcosm of the tragedy that has gripped many Middle Eastern countries. If it is not resolved soon, the fighting in Libya could sow instability in neighboring countries like Tunisia and Egypt, and trigger more waves of refugees fleeing to Europe.

At root, the Libyan crisis is a civil war among various groups that are divided by tribal and regional loyalties, as well as by ideological beliefs. All are vying to control the countrys oil revenues. Yet, at the moment, there are principally two sides to the conflict: the Islamist-dominated, internationally recognized Government of National Accord (GNA), which still controls the capital, Tripoli; and the Tobruk-based House of Representatives and the Libyan National Army (LNA), which are under the command of the anti-Islamist field marshal Khalifa Haftar. While most of the country is now under the authoritarian nationalist Haftars control, Tripoli has yet to fall.

Behind each of these warring camps are outside powers pursuing their own interests. While Turkey and Qatar have backed the GNA, Egypt, Russia, and the United Arab Emirates have been lending support to Haftar. International media coverage of the war has attributed this outside interference to competition mainly between Turkey and Egypt for oil and gas resources.

The Egyptians have a gas project that could potentially link up with facilities in Israel, Cyprus, and Greece to supply Europe. But that objective directly conflicts with Turkeys goal of creating an exclusive maritime zone with Libya, and of securing sole control over Libyas energy resources.

But the contest over energy is not the whole story. To understand the Libya conflict fully, one also must consider the complex links between geopolitics and ideology. A victory for the Islamists in Tripoli would allow Turkey and Qatar not only to extend their influence into a major oil-producing state on the Mediterranean; it also would offer them strategic depth, strengthening their influence over other countries such as Tunisia and Egypt (a longtime rival).

Hence, for most of the war, Qatar has sponsored the Islamists, mainly by providing financial support to a single person: the religious activist and scholar Ali Muhammad al-Salabi. With the help of Qatars resources, al-Salabi has emerged as the GNAs de facto leader. But late last year, the GNA appeared to be on the verge of defeat, leading to Turkeys intervention on its behalf. Turkey has since committed weapons, drones, soldiers, and even Syrian fighters to the battle for Tripoli.

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On the other side of the divide, Egypt and the UAE do not want to see a petrostate capable of producing 2.5 million barrels per day fall into the hands of Islamists who are beholden to their regional rivals. A victory for the GNA would turn Libya into an Islamist stronghold and a beachhead for undermining Egypt and the UAEs authoritarian vision for the region. Haftar a uniformed and heavily ornamented military dictator straight out of central casting would establish an order much more to their liking. If he is victorious, Libyas oil resources could then be leveraged in the broader fight against the Islamist bogeyman across the region.

Russias motive for siding with Haftar is more intriguing, but can be summed up in one word: revanchism. Although Russian President Vladimir Putin has sent mercenaries (mainly those associated with the paramilitary Wagner Group) to join the fight, Haftar himself is not the Kremlins top candidate to rule Libya. Putin wants to install Saif al-Islam Qaddafi, the son of the late Libyan dictator, Muammar el-Qaddafi, who ruled the country from 1969 to 2011.

With the support of former regime loyalists, Qaddafi has joined forces with Haftar. But the Russians do not trust Haftar, because they regard him as a US intelligence asset, owing to his previous life as an American citizen who lived in Langley, Virginia (incidentally, the site of CIA headquarters) for two decades. By making Qaddafi Libyas next ruler, the Kremlin hopes to prove a point to the Americans and Europeans who helped to topple his father. Following his success in keeping Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in power despite overwhelming odds, Putin wants to show that it is he who will dictate Libyas future and call the shots in the region. If the clock really is set back to Moscow time, it will be interesting to see what happens to Haftar.

The complex situation in Libya is verging on the surreal. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for the very real suffering of the Libyan people, who are caught between the competing factions. For its part, the United States has been negligent in its approach to the crisis, which it has largely ignored in the hope that other regional powers will restore order. In fact, those powers are the ones sowing chaos, and only the US has the diplomatic leverage to end the conflict.

Should Libyas civil war continue, its effects will undoubtedly spill over to other parts of the region. More refugees will flee to Europe, especially if the conflict turns out to be a harbinger of civil wars to come. Tunisia, Algeria, Sudan, or Lebanon could become the next theater for regional and international powers to fight proxy wars while fantasizing about becoming the Arab worlds next hegemon. As the rubble that is now Syria makes clear, to the victor will go spoils that no longer justify the effort.

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What's at Stake in Libya? | by Bernard Haykel - Project Syndicate

Libya to step up regulation of tuna fishing – SeafoodSource

Libyas United Nations-backed Government of National Accord (GNA) is proposing measures to support planned improvements to regulations on hunting, selling, and exporting of tuna in 2020.

During a recent meeting to discuss the way forward for Libyas dwindling tuna fishery organized by the Ministry of Economy in the countrys capital, Tripoli participants from various government departments committed to working together to revamp the industry by developing rules and regulations that align it to international best practices and standards, according to the Libya Herald.

Participants at the meeting also discussed a proposal to review tuna fishing licenses, and how to address the current challenges of inadequate mechanisms to monitor compliance to the license conditions, in addition to the inability of the government to ensure transparency in the collection and utilization of fishing license fees.

Libya produces bluefin tuna, a species whose production has been lagging since 2012, when the Government of National Accord was formed to replace the collapsed government of former dictator Muammar Gaddaffi. Production reached just 1,796.9 metric tons (MT) in 2018, according to the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tuna (ICCAT).

However, that number was an increase from 1,323.3 MT and 1,588.9 MT for 2016 and 2017, respectively, and it has risen from lows of 756 MT in 2012. Post-2012, each year saw a slight increase in catch: 929 MT, 933 MT and 1,153 MT for 2013, 2014, and 2015, respectively.

Last year, ICCAT raised the annual global bluefin tuna fishing quota to 32,240 tons, with 17,623 MT being allocated to the European Union.

Despite efforts by institutions such as ICAAT to generate the latest developments in Libyas fishing industry, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) said the country has no official data available since the last few years.

Nevertheless, FAO estimates Libyas capture fisheries to have reached 32,000 MT in 2017, barely over half the output the country had before the 2011 Arab Spring.

Libyas aquaculture has also declined to 10 MT from the 400 MT the country produced in the early 2000s, with fish imports estimated at USD 137 million (EUR 126 million) and exports at USD 36 million (EUR 32 million), respectively.

Last year, ICCAT said Libyas Total Allowable Catch (including discards) was fixed at 2,060 MT for the entire year, with the association saying the North African country shall have no trap and farming activity in fishing season 2019 after the country fully committed to conduct this (2019) fishing season in line with the pertinent ICCAT resolutions and recommendations.

Photo courtesy of Mohamed I Kalid/Shutterstock

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Libya to step up regulation of tuna fishing - SeafoodSource

Commissioner urges Italy to suspend co-operation activities with Libyan Coast Guard and introduce human rights safeguards in future migration…

In a letter addressed to the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Italy, Luigi Di Maio, published today, the Commissioner urges the Italian government to introduce human rights safeguards in the Memorandum of Understanding between Italy and Libya.

While noting that discussions to improve human rights compliance in the future are ongoing, the Commissioner calls on Italy to acknowledge the realities currently prevailing on the ground in Libya and to suspend co-operation activities with the Libyan Coast Guard that result in the return of persons intercepted at sea to Libya.

In this context, Commissioner Mijatovi draws the attention of the government to key safeguards to be introduced in any migration co-operation with third countries to effectively guarantee respect for human rights. Referring to her Recommendation Lives saved. Rights protected. Bridging the protection gap for refugees and migrants in the Mediterranean (Recommendation in Italian), she underlines the need to assess the risks to the human rights of migrants and asylum seekers of any migration co-operation activities, to develop strategies to mitigate those risks, to devise independent monitoring mechanisms, and to establish an effective system of redress.

The Commissioner also stresses in the letter that she will continue to call for more solidarity from Council of Europe member states with those countries which, like Italy, are on the frontline of migration movements to Europe, and for better co-operation to ensure the effective preservation of life and the protection of the human rights of those at sea, including through responsibility sharing for adequate rescue capacity and the timely disembarkation of those rescued.

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Commissioner urges Italy to suspend co-operation activities with Libyan Coast Guard and introduce human rights safeguards in future migration...

Libyan ministers respond to international reports on immigrants’ abuse – The Libya Observer

A tripartite meeting for the Libyan Interior, Foreign and Justice Ministers responded Thursday to the international reports that tackled abuse against illegal immigrants.

In a joint meeting, Fathi Bashagha, Mohammed Sayala and Emhemed Abdelwahid said the hurdles the illegal immigrants go through "should be tackled objectively and in a civilized way".

"Those ideological media outlets that are shedding tears on the status of the illegal immigrants are using the immigrants for political agenda and thus they should pressure their governments to devise plans to curb migration flows by investments and work opportunities in Africa to allow the immigrants lead a normal life. The ministers stated.

Meanwhile, a statement by the Interior Ministry said illegal immigration needs national plans as Libya has been exhausted financially, politically and administratively by it over the years, calling for ending the use of this issue in political, social and economic agenda by different countries.

The Government of National Accord came under bitter criticism for alleged abuse and violations against illegal immigrants in detention centres across areas under its control to the extent that Italian NGOs called on the government not to renew MoU with Libya for "arbitrary detention and abuse against immigrants"

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Libyan ministers respond to international reports on immigrants' abuse - The Libya Observer

The Fate Of Libyan Oil Hangs In The Balance – OilPrice.com

By Editorial Dept - Feb 21, 2020, 12:00 PM CST

Haftar Waiting Out Another Turkish Misstep in Libya

Last week, international media said that Libyan oil production had dropped to just under 164,000 bpd. Less than a week later, on Monday, Feb 17th, the Libyan National Oil Company (NOC) said that oil production was down to just under 136,000 bpd. That represents a financial loss of over $1.6 billion.

The NOC is still supplying the Central and Eastern regions with enough to meet their transport and domestic needs, though storage facilities in and around Tripoli are facing supply shortages.

It is not a sustainable situation, even as the media claim that both sides in the conflict are in it for the long haul. Money will dictate otherwise.

The tension on the ground this week was palpable, and more confusing than ever as Libyans celebrated the revolution that overthrew Ghaddafi on February 17 eight years ago. After eight years of chaos hijacked by various militias, no one knows exactly what theyre celebrating.

It will be important to watch what Turkey does next because its in a tight spot and has overstepped in multiple venues. Its being overrun by the Syrian Army and the Russians in Syria, and its sent Syrian mercenaries (with false promises) to fight in Libya. They are not likely to represent a loyal mercenary force when they realize they wont get what they want back at home in Syria. Again, that is leverage for Haftar in Tripoli, where hes

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The Fate Of Libyan Oil Hangs In The Balance - OilPrice.com