Following Libya news in recent weeks has been inspiring. The message of positivity from the new unity government has offered a refreshing change from the country’s typical fare, according to the online news outlet, Middle East Eye.
“Countries would also like to indulge in some of the business opportunities presented by this new government, its big budget and its expansive redevelopment vision,” added Middle East Eye.
Exactly why business opportunities are anticipated from this caretaker government, which has a nine-month mandate and is officially tasked only with organising elections in December and unifying institutions, is another fluttering red flag. In fact, this new government is the biggest in Libya’s post-revolutionary history, with a massive budget of nearly 100bn dinars ($22bn) and an expansive agenda, with lots of talk of reconstruction but little mention of elections.
The prime minister is from a family synonymous with using government building projects to enrich themselves – it’s how they made a fortune in the Gaddafi era – and has pieced together a 33-minister government for which Dbeibeh claims to have made only one appointment himself. The rest were made by other MPs.
Middle East Eye added that the great fear of Libyans now is that Libya’s unity government is unified only by the promise of a flood of corruption. It’s the same promise that has papered over the competing visions of Turkey, Russia, the UAE and Egypt, who still have boots on the ground.
What does this mean for the US and Europe?
Although they should be relieved at having shepherded Libya this far, they should not believe that the job is done. Keeping up the pressure for progress – on both Libyans and intervening states alike – will mark the difference between repeating the last five years, and finally moving on.