Libya: Clashes between rival factions leave two dead

A weekend of clashes between rival factions, in the town of Gharyan about 80km south of Tripoli, has left at least two people dead and more than 40 injured. The authorities say they are now in a process of putting together a force to disarm the supposed Colonel Mu'ammar Qadhafi loyalists.

Speaking to the BBC, local officials in the town said they feel powerless in controlling their own revolutionary groups. According to a number of other sources, in the hills surrounding the town, revolutionary forces are again battling in full force, their anti-aircraft guns mounted on the backs of pickup trucks heading west toward the town of Assabia.

It is thought that the fighting began on Friday 13th January and continued throuought the weekend. The following day, Libya's Defence Minister Osama al-Juweili travelled to Gharyan to try to encourage a ceasefire but to no avail.

On Sunday 15th January, a group of tribal elders arrived in Gharyan in an attempt to mediate in the conflict and negotiate a prisoner exchange. The confrontations, however, continue.

Despite government's calls to disarm, various factions remain at large and seem to have no intention of joining the national army – an initiative proposed by Tripoli.

Some fear that there is a danger of a civil war, if the militias do not give up their weapons. The situation remains tense and the country's future is still unclear.

Sources: Reuters, Bloomberg, BBC News

For more news and expert analysis about Libya, please see Libya Focus and Libya Politics & Security.

Libya's new cabinet formed

On 4th December, the remaining government ministers were inaugurated into Prime Minister Abduraheem el-Keib's cabinet. Among the new ministers were Defence Minister Osama Juwaili and Oil Minister Abdul Rahman Ben Yezza. (See Libya P&S - 30.11.11 for further details on the task facing the new Oil Minister)

Also taking up his portfolio was Fathi Terbil as the new Minister for Youth and Sport. Terbil – the lawyer representing the families of the Abu Selim prison massacre whose arrest sparked the February 2011 revolution - reportedly told Reuters that he had been unsure about accepting the portfolio. Indeed, the rumours in the previous week suggested that he had resigned before taking up his post. According to the interview, Terbil had initially turned the position down because of his links to the National Transitional Council's (NTC) original Executive Committee. He also told Reuters that family and friends had advised him against taking the post.

Defence Minister Colonel Osama Juwaili, from Zintan, is facing a stiff challenge in drawing up plans to resolve the problems surrounding the country's numerous militias. It is almost universally agreed that it is essential to disarm all the volunteer fighters currently on Libya's streets and to bring both the 50,000 militia men and the various regional security forces under one central control. This challenge does not, however, only fall under his portfolio, and new Interior Minister Fawzi Taher Abdela'ali has suggested that the security forces will involve the assimilation of anti-Qadhafi fighters into both the Interior and Defence forces.

This process has already begun and is being assisted by the French police who have been training former revolutionary fighters. It is rumoured that a policy for completing the process will be announced shortly.

For more news and expert analysis about Libya, please see Libya Focus and Libya Politics & Security.

© 2011 Menas Associates

Libya: Kusa warns against the possibility of civil war

Libya's former foreign minister Musa Kusa has warned against the possibility of a civil war. Speaking openly for the first times since his arrival in the UK almost two weeks ago, Kusa said unity in Libya was of utmost importance if a settlement is to be reached.

The former foreign minister noted: “I ask everybody to avoid taking Libya into civil war...This would lead to so much blood and Libya would be a new Somalia. More than that, we refuse to divide Libya. The unity of Libya is essential to any solution and settlement...The solution in will come from the Libyans themselves, through discussion and democratic dialogue."

Kusa made the above statement shortly after Libyan rebels rejected African Union's (AU) proposal of a ceasefire. It is believed that Colonel Mu'ammar Qadhafi had accepted the offer, however, that didn't prevent his forces attacking the city of Misrata the following day.

Kusa's defection is yet to be acknowledged by the regime. Speaking about the latest developments Libya's Minister for Social Affairs, Ibrahim Zarouk Al-Sharif, said he could not comment on Kusa's statement while the former foreign minister was "captured" in a foreign country.

Sources: BBCNews, Politics.co.uk, The Press Association, GlobalPost

For more news and expert analysis about Libya, please see Libya Focus and Libya Politics & Security.

Libyan government is taking steps to enhance employment

The Libyan government is taking steps to enhance its employment factor to obviate the root causes of dissent which affect other North African regimes. Prime Minister Mahmoud al-Baghdadi has made specific proposals for the banks to deploy their capital in small businesses. It is argued that the talents of senior staff would be better rewarded in this activity rather than remaining in government employment. This and other would-be innovative policies will have no short-term effect but would place the Libyan economy in the right direction for the longer term.

The measures of economic improvement, especially in living standards, have been reinforced by the high level of government spending. In the 2008-12 period, allocations for development total around US$117 billion. So far, US$113 billion has reportedly been spent, of which US$59,700 million has apparently gone to fund housing developments. These accumulated additions to economic growth will play a major role in dampening any dissent which could arise from dissatisfaction over pay rates which have tended to stagnate.

The government has taken some time to develop its appreciation of the dangers of consumer price inflation, caused by the mis-match of supply and demand in a distorted market. Its preferred solution appears to be a moderate attempt to contain demand while also still providing expensive subsidies on staple goods and foodstuffs. So far, the change of policies has been comparatively successful.

The economic news appear to indicate that some real gains are being made in the living standards of a substantial number of Libyans, and especially those in Tripoli or other areas benefiting from large-scale government investment. The government obviously has in mind a bimodal growth strategy, with the larger industries operating as efficiently as possible within the global context while smaller industries, with protected industry status, provide both an appreciable area of job creation opportunities as well as being a useful input of added value.

For more news and expert analysis about Libya, please see Libya Focus and Libya Politics & Security.

© 2010 Menas Associates

Libya and Ukraine sign co-operation agreements

The joined committee of Libya and Ukraine have signed several agreements to strengthen bilateral co-operation between the two countries. The Secretary of the Libyan General People's Committee Mahmoud al-Baghdadi and Ukraine's Prime Minister Mykola Azarov commended the outcome of the meeting.

The first agreement signed stipulated greater co-operation in the areas of commerce, industry and agriculture. The second agreement covered an MoU between the Libyan Press Agency (JANA) and the Ukrainian News Agency (Ukrania New Form) stipulating greater collaboration in exchange of information and staff training. The nature of the third agreement is unclear, but it is believed to be a draft agreement for the cancellation of visas regarding diplomatic relations between the two countries.

Speaking to the press, shortly after the signing ceremony, both officials commended the new agreements. Baghdadi said Libya and Ukraine have a long history of co-operation in a diverse range of areas including, health, education, military and nuclear power. He added that Ukraine will participate in development projects currently underway in Libya, particularly in the country's infrastructure and subway construction.

Azarov said that the new co-operation agreements are a milestone in the relations between the two countries, and expressed great optimism for the future.

Source: Afrique en ligne

For more news and expert analysis about Libya, please see Libya Focus and Libya Politics & Security.