By Abdullah Alkabir, political writer and commentator
Reactions to the initiative of US Presidential Envoy, Massad Boulos have varied. While the agreement to unify development spending proceeded almost unopposed, and was even welcomed in the days following its signing. Yet, the military meeting between a representative of the Government of National Unity’s Ministry of Defense and Haftar’s son in Sirte, within the framework of the US Flintlock military exercise, sparked widespread controversy. Some political and military figures, as well as security leaders, rejected the shake hands of the government representative with Saddam Hafter, who is accused of committing armed robbery, torture, and murder in recent years. Such hostile behaviour was based on his father’s authority, which is sanctified by the blood of the people of Cyrenaica.
Furthermore, the proposal to restructure the executive authority by appointing Haftar’s son as head of the Presidential Council and keeping Dbeibah as head of the government has faced broad opposition in western Libya from all active political and military factions.
It was neither politically astute nor prudent to reject the American initiative outright. Therefore, the statements of position included welcoming any efforts to achieve rapprochement between the east and west of the country at all levels, and praising any efforts to unify the military institution, provided that controversial figures or individuals accused of crimes were not imposed, and that the Constitutional Declaration, political agreements, and the UN initiative were not violated. The foundation of any political solution must be based on this legal framework to be consensual, acceptable, and implementable.
Presidential Council Head Mohamed Menfi was the most vocal in rejecting his removal in favor of another figure from the east, while Prime Minister Abdulhamid Dbeibah remained silent, despite numerous calls for him to declare his position on the initiative. Some believe he secretly rejects it without publicly declaring his opposition so as not to clash with the American position behind it. Meanwhile, he welcomed the financial agreement and praised the joint military exercise in Sirte, in which forces loyal to him participated alongside forces loyal to Haftar, under full American supervision.
The Libyan political scene is becoming increasingly complex as April draws to a close, beginning with the implementation of the economic and military tracks of the Boulos Plan. Controversy has resurfaced following the official release of the UN Security Council experts’ report, which had been leaked in recent days, sparking considerable anger and debate within Libyan political and social circles.
The UN envoy is also preparing to brief the Security Council, amidst reports suggesting she may resort to a smaller-scale meeting that would bring together representatives from the Tripoli authorities and Haftar’s forces. Given this complex situation, which options could pave the way for the anticipated political transition? The Boulos initiative has met with widespread rejection from both sides. In Tripoli, numerous figures and entities have declared their opposition to the imposition of any individuals who have committed crimes against the Libyan people. Meanwhile, in Benghazi, the Haftar brothers expressed their displeasure at the inclusion of their brother as a key partner with Dbeibah in understandings reached during sporadic, semi-secret meetings held in recent months. Internationally and locally, no country involved in the Libyan conflict has announced a clear position on Boulos’ moves, limiting its statements to expressing support for the Libyan dialogue and UN efforts to bridge the divide between the conflicting parties.
The UN envoy Tetteh’s initiative has made no progress due to the intransigence of the House of Representatives and the High Council of State in agreeing on the board of directors of the High National Elections Commission and the electoral laws. It remains to be seen, what path she will take to overcome the political deadlock after her briefing to the UN Security Council, what the details of the mini-table talks will be, and what alternatives she will pursue if solutions cannot be reached through this process.
Political factions are anxiously awaiting solutions, clinging to their positions, while the people wait for external intervention due to the absence of any alternative national project and the lack of genuine political will among the de facto authorities to resolve the crisis. Will the political landscape shift by combining both the UN mission’s initiative with that of Boulos, aiming to unify the divided institutions through a new political agreement that allows the de facto authorities to remain in power without any real change, while solidifying financial and security agreements to create a more favorable environment for future American investments facilitated by deals brokered by Boulos?
Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the writer, and do not necessarily reflect those of the Libya Observer
