Tag: Tripoli

In spite of the best efforts of the U.N. Special Envoy for Libya Ghassam Salame and his talented team, there remains no political solution to stabilize and unite the country—bifurcated between a U.N.-backed government in Tripoli (the Government of National Accord), and another in Tobruk (the House of Representatives). Adjusting to the Fragmented Reality For almost seven years, the United Nations has sent special envoys to Libya that have sought to help Libyans form a strong central government. Specifically, Libyan political leaders and their international partners should take seriously the possibility of building a federal system of governance in Libya. Looking at Libya and at its particular arrangement, perhaps there could be a similar approach: Three city-states (Tripoli, Sebha, and Benghazi), which represent the three historical regions and a number of provinces. The Implementation In the face of near-hopeless fragmentation today, strong decentralization can be a tactical solution as Libya works toward improved stability and governance. The devolution of powers would give considerable independence to the municipalities, leaving to the federal state the management of national defense related to border security and the coast guard; the distribution of oil revenues (which must be shared to serve Libya—not a particular faction or some national strongman); the treasury; and foreign affairs. One central issue would be needing to change citizens’ expectations around oil rents and paying little or no taxes. The solution for Libya is not top-down—rather, it is bottom-up and it is based on different (and in many cases centuries-old) local realities. In Europe, for example, federalist systems developed over centuries. That said, Libyans must ask themselves what kind of country they want, and whether this approach could help them eventually get there.