Inside Libya

Monthly Reports on inner-Libyan Developments

The Regional Program Political Dialogue South Mediterranean (PolDiMed) of the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung (KAS) in cooperation with LIBYA DESK™ is delighted to present our monthly report on Libya. This new format examines the most important political, economic and social developments of the previous month, which are of central importance for understanding the situation in Libya. The report is based on reliable Libyan sources and provides first a summary and then a contextualization of developments in the wider Libyan context.

Libya - Developments in the Shadow of Corona

Since May 2020, the Libyan Government of National Accord (GNA), with massive help from Turkey, has succeeded in breaking the siege of Tripoli by Khalifa Haftar and his militias, supported by Russia, Egypt and the United Arab Emirates, and regaining important territories. Both sides are massing troops along the new front line near Sirte. This may either lead to new military escalation of the conflict or split up the country into spheres of interest. In order to mitigate these scenarios, a joint European approach is urgently needed. This should include sanctioning the destructive role of external actors, strengthening the United Nations’ negotiating mission, supporting the revival of an internal political process in Libya and providing humanitarian aid to the country.

China's 'Health Silk Road' Diplomacy in the MENA

Mediterranean Dialogue Series no. 27

China tries to gain influence worldwide and most recently during the global Covid19 pandemic in the Middle East and North Africa.

The Fight Against Covid-19 in Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia

Courses of Action, Paths for Reflection

The Covid-19 pandemic represents an unprecedented challenge to the world, from which the countries of the central Maghreb, namely Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia, are not spared.

Civil-Military Relations in the MENA Region: Past and Future

Mediterranean Dialogue Series no. 24

In the face of the major re-implication of the military in the political developments of the MENA region, the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung Regional Program South Mediterranean in cooperation with the Carnegie Middle East Center, organized a conference on the “Civil-military Relations in the MENA Region” in Tunis. Following this meeting, this publication carries on the discussion with an insightful overview of the different civil-military relations’ configurations in the MENA region.

Tinder Diplomacy? Questioning Alignments in Middle Eastern Geopolitics

Mediterranean Dialogue Series no. 23

The Regional Program Political Dialogue South Mediterranean of Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung conducted a snap survey among a group of 20 Middle East experts about the positions of some of the most important regional actors and their positions on key regional security issues. The aggregated results of this non-representative survey are depicted in the publication by Kristina Kausch, providing a glimpse of the approximate thematic alignments of key regional (largely governmental) actors on some of the most relevant regional themes.

Maghreb Business Angel Network

Roadmap

A collaboration between KAS PolDiMed and B@Labs' start-up incubation program produced a roadmap for a Maghreb Business Angel Network authored by Ahmed Amine Azouzi.

Fast and Furious: China's rise in the Middle East and North Africa

Traditionally, China has pursued a relatively restrained foreign policy in the Middle East and North Africa. This has changed dramatically in recent years. Within a few years the country has positioned itself as a new global power in the region. On the one hand, this is due to China's interest in securing access to energy and resources, expanding trade routes and opening up markets for its own export products. But there's more to it than that. President Xi Jinping's declared goal is to make China the world's number one power by 2049 - the centenary of the People's Republic.

Libya Conference: A Success for German Diplomacy

The Berlin Libya Conference is a success for German diplomacy. For five months the German government has been working behind the scenes on the so-called Berlin process for Libya, which Chancellor Merkel announced in September 2019. The conference in Berlin was preceded by several meetings of senior officials from the participating states and regional organizations. All foreign powers interfering in the Libyan conflict were brought together and committed themselves to respect the UN arms embargo and to stop bringing mercenaries and arms into the country.

Peace by Piece: Solving the Libyan Puzzle through Municipalities

Libya Brief no. 8

Municipal councils and other local community actors are crucial for solving Libya’s current crisis. While the implementation of decentralization efforts is stalled at present due to the ongoing conflict, the escalation of political and military tensions at the national level has given an even greater importance to local bodies and initiatives. In times of war and political uncertainty, and despite various ideological divisions within members of municipal councils, local government authorities can be key actors in reconciliation and service provision for the population.