One year of GNA fails to unite Libya

UN-mandated government is still at odds with factions in Tripoli and rival government based in the east of country

Libya’s internationally recognised Government of National Accord (GNA) marks its first anniversary on December 17, but few among the population will be celebrating.

Twelve months after representatives from many of the country’s factions declared the formation of the GNA at a conference in Shkirat, Morocco, the country is as divided as ever.

Eastern Libya, home to the bulk of oil production, is under the control of a separate government appointed by the national parliament, the House of Representatives (HOR), which is based in Tobruk.

Meanwhile, the capital, Tripoli, is torn by militia violence.

The GNA is in the process of forming its first security force, the presidential guard.

But GNA supporters point to two key signs of progress in a country that has known nothing but chaos since the overthrow and murder of Muammar Qaddafi during the 2011 revolution.

First, on December 7, Libyan forces aligned with the GNA captured ISIL’s main base at Sirte after a six- month campaign backed by American air strikes.

Secondly, oil production has begun to improve after the commander of the HOR armed forces, Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar, captured four key oil ports from a militia in mid-September.

While ISIL extremists have lost Sirte, it is believed that many fighters remain in Libya.

America’s special envoy to Libya, Jonathan Winer, told the joint congressional foreign affairs subcommittee on November 30 that ISIL could cause more trouble unless Libya’s divisions healed. “If Libyans choose to fight each other instead of uniting, they risk increasing the probability that ISIL and other violent extremists in its mould will be back,” he said.

Meanwhile, although oil exports increased from 330,000 barrels per day ( bpd) before Field Marshal Haftar captured the ports to 600,000 bpd, he refuses to take orders from the GNA.

Instead, he remains loyal to the HOR, which refuses to sign the Libya political agreement ( LPA), a transitional constitution under which the GNA operates. Yesterday, HOR president Agila Saleh, said that far from joining the GNA, the parliament would soon propose a road map to a new form of government.

One year ago, there was optimism when Libya Dialogue, a commission of Libyan representatives chaired by the United Nations Support Mission for Libya (Unsmil), announced the GNA, appointing as prime minister Fayez Al Serraj. It was Libya Dialogue that drafted the LPA. The HOR has refused to endorse the GNA or the transitional constitution, demanding that it should appoint the commander of Libya’s army – signalling its determination to keep Field Marshal Haftar in that role.

Although popular in eastern Libya for his campaign against militias in Benghazi, factions in western Libya dislike him.

The GNA also faces a challenge in Tripoli from the National Salvation Government, which ruled the city until the GNA arrived on March 30. On October 15, Salvation government prime minister Khalifa Al Ghwell led a group of militias in capturing a government complex around the city’s Rixos Hotel, leaving the city divided, with some militias backing him, others the GNA.

Amid the chaos, Tripoli is suffering power cuts and cash shortages. In October, the World Bank warned that the economy was at risk of collapse.

The Unsmil chief Martin Kobler told the Security Council that“although the presidency council resides in Tripoli, the Government of National Accord has limited authority”.

“I am convinced that the Libyan Political Agreement remains the one and only viable framework,” said Mr Kobler.

For the moment, he has widespread international backing. As well as the UN, the Arab League and African Union all support GNA.

With a new president entering the White House, recent US pledges for support cannot be taken for granted. The GNA’s task as unifier in Libya may be about to get even harder.