Abdul Hamid Dbeibeh
A Decisive Moment for Libya’s Transition
For more than fourteen years, Libya has been an open arena for international political experiments, marked by rotating initiatives, missions, and temporary agreements that have failed to produce lasting stability or institutions capable of enforcing the rule of law.
This prolonged phase has not been merely the product of internal divisions; it is the cumulative result of international approaches that prioritized managing crises over resolving them, and procedural formalities over measurable results.
Such conditions allowed parallel power networks—combining illicit economic resources with armed capabilities—to penetrate state institutions, eroding centralized decision-making.
The outcome has been the prolongation of the transitional phase and the entrenchment of a fragile political reality in which instability perpetuates itself.
Recent regional experience shows that implementable solutions do not necessarily start as long-term frameworks, but derive their value from their ability to create a “moment of agreement” that can shift the trajectory of conflict.
In this context, the U.S.-brokered agreement between the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Rwanda illustrates how swift understandings and direct agreements can deliver short-term political breakthroughs and reset security and economic priorities, even if structurally fragile.
This approach—combining decisive political pressure with investment incentives—is particularly relevant to Libya, where targeted, politically-backed agreements could recalibrate the equation and open a path toward measurable stability.
In recent years, Libya has undergone a strategic shift away from exclusive reliance on open-ended UN-led processes toward direct understandings with capable regional actors.
Within this framework, the Government of National Unity has developed a strategic plan with partners such as Turkey, Italy, and Qatar to reduce irregular migration through strengthened border enforcement, advanced technical tools, rapid return mechanisms, and dismantling smuggling networks on both shores of the Mediterranean.
This plan is more than a security response; it is a broader vision to transform Libya from an unregulated transit point into a platform for security and economic cooperation that delivers measurable results and offers a regional model combining deterrence with development.
At the heart of this vision lies a clear strategic triad: consolidating legitimate state authority by unifying and strengthening security forces under a single command; combating the parallel economy and illicit networks that undermine investment and trust; and activating justice and governance institutions to ensure accountability and transparency.
These are not political slogans but essential preconditions for any transition to a “profitable and effective Libya” and the foundation for productive partnerships with the United States or other allies.
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