Empowered decentralization: A city-based strategy for rebuilding Libya

Libya has floundered since the overthrow of Moammar Gadhafi in 2011, and continues to struggle now. There are elements of a functional economy and governance, but otherwise only a hodgepodge of very weak central institutions and improvised local arrangements, as militias and other actors compete for...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Policy File 2019
Main Authors: Allen, John R, Amr, Hady, Byman, Daniel L, Felbab-Brown, Vanda, feltman, Jeffrey, Friend, Alice, Fritz, Jason, Ghafar, Adel Abdel, Jones, Bruce, Karlin, Mara, Mezran, Karim, O'Hanlon, Michael E, Fasanotti, Federica Saini, Signe, Landry, Varvelli, Arturo, Wehrey, Frederic, Yousef, Tarik M
Format: Report
Language:English
Subjects:
Developing countries
Foreign policy
Government
LDCs
The Brookings Institution
Online Access:Request full text
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Summary:Libya has floundered since the overthrow of Moammar Gadhafi in 2011, and continues to struggle now. There are elements of a functional economy and governance, but otherwise only a hodgepodge of very weak central institutions and improvised local arrangements, as militias and other actors compete for the spoils of the state. As a result, Libya remains in disarray, representing a potential source of terrorism. It also constitutes a clear and present danger in terms of unregulated flows of people to Europe, originating from within its own borders as well as neighboring African nations. The risk of greater Russian influence is growing with time, as well. There may now be a glimmer of hope, however, as a U.N.-led effort in Libya starts to gain more traction. Encouraging, if fledgling, economic reforms in late 2018 add further promise. We propose a new U.S. approach to Libya that centers on the concept of reinvigorated American engagement. For years, U.S. support for the U.N. mission has been passive, consisting largely of positive words in the Security Council. More sustained and assertive U.S. leadership can make the difference as to whether, this time, the U.N. approach succeeds in uniting Libyans and their international partners, including with an important national conference that may take place in Libya in 2019. As an essential element of this leadership, the United States should return Americans, and a U.S. Embassy and ambassador, to Libya. It is important that the embassy presence be conducive to interaction with Libyans from many regions and tribes, and that it include numerous political and economic/development officers (as well as security personnel), too.