The Tripoli based Libyan government reported that its Prime Minister, Abdel Hamid Aldabaiba, met today with the First Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives (HoR), Tarek al-Ashtar, ‘‘to discuss the latest political and economic developments in the country, as well as ways to strengthen coordination and cooperation between the two sides’’.
The government reported that the meeting, held at the Tripoli Cabinet Office, ‘‘addressed the importance of unifying national efforts to tackle economic and financial challenges, and supporting measures aimed at improving the living conditions of citizens’’.
Furthermore, the short Tripoli government statement ended, ‘‘the two sides discussed developments in the political process, the importance of building upon existing national understandings, and supporting efforts to conclude the transitional phases and create the appropriate conditions for holding elections’’.
Comment and analysis
The relatively rare visit by a Deputy HoR Speaker to the Tripoli government in the Libyan capital must be seen within the context of the removal of the outgoing HoR Speaker, Ageela Saleh, and his new replacement by Al-Salheen Abdel Nabi.
Saleh and Aldabaiba fell out after the HoR’s September 2021 vote-of-no-confidence in the Aldabaiba government. The government has continued in situ as a ‘‘caretaker government’’ ever since – but is exclusively recognised by most of the international community.
Saleh’s HoR went on to choose a new eastern based ‘‘Libyan Government’’ which has no wide international or UN recognition.
Hafter-approved rapprochement?
The Tripoli visit by First Deputy Speaker al-Ashtar is being optimistically seen as a rapprochement between Tripoli and the HoR. And since no HoR Speaker can act independently of the Hafters – it is seen as a rapprochement between Tripoli and the Hafters too.
Libya-Turkey Maritime Agreement
This rapprochement can also be seen in light of yesterday’s ratification by the HoR of the controversial Libya-Turkey Maritime Agreement.
A break in Libya’s political impasse
Optimistic analysts hope that this is not yet another false dawn in Libyan politics. They hope that this rapprochement may lead to a break in Libya's decades-long political impasse that is blocking progress to the drafting and approval of a permanent constitution – leading to the elections of a fully mandated parliament and government.
Hence the line in the official meeting statement of ‘‘conclude the transitional phases and create the appropriate conditions for holding elections’’.
Economic pressures?
Analysts also feel that the two sides may have finally recognised that the economic situation cannot continue along the same lines – as manifested in the LD plunging to LD to the dollar over the last three days. Today it dipped just under LD 10. They may be realising that a worsening economic situation may threaten their political status quo.