The recent cyclone Daniel that hit Libya has caused a humanitarian catastrophe, with thousands of people killed, missing, or displaced by the floods. The storm, which was fuelled by unusually warm sea water and a warmer atmosphere, is the latest extreme weather event to carry some of the hallmarks of climate change. Yet, the warnings about the risk of the dams bursting and the urgent need to strengthen their defences were well known. Anas El-Gomati, the founder of the Libya-based Sadeq thinktank, shared with The Guardian that a political investigation would be necessary. “North Africa is not immune to climate change, but this is also about corruption and incompetence. In Morocco perhaps you had seconds or minutes when the tectonic plates moved, but here in Libya there was plenty of warning about this hurricane … yet there was no evacuation of Derna – and now a quarter of the city’s population are under water.”
Libya is a country rich in oil, but poor in peace and stability, as all victims of the resource curse. Since the uprising that overthrew and killed the longtime dictator Muammar Gaddafi in 2011, the country has been plagued by political chaos, corruption and foreign meddling. The people of Libya have not been able to enjoy the benefits of a unified and functioning government for a decade. Instead, they have been divided by two rival factions that control different parts of the country with their own militias: one in Tripoli, the capital city in the west, and another in Tobruk, a port city in the east. As a result, the public infrastructure and services have deteriorated and there has been little oversight of private construction. One of the cities that suffered the most from this situation was Derna, a coastal city in the east. Derna was under the rule of Islamist militant groups for several years until it was taken over by Gen Khalifa Haftar, a powerful warlord who leads an army in the east, in 2019.
It is probably correct to say that Derna was not just hit by a storm, it was hit by a decade of neglect and betrayal. The city’s infrastructure, including the dams that burst under the pressure of Daniel’s torrential rains, was already crumbling and decayed. Those who had done regular business with Libya in years should have known that not investing in resilience and stability in Libya would leave the country vulnerable to extreme weather events, climate change and a vicious circle of conflict. Like many poorer countries, Libya simply was not ready for the wrath of Daniel.
The question is what has the international community been investing in instead?
According to Human Rights Watch, Italy and the European Union (EU) have been providing financial and technical support to Libyan authorities to intercept and return thousands of migrants and asylum seekers who try to cross the Mediterranean Sea to reach Europe. These people are then subjected to horrific abuses in Libya, such as murder, torture, enslavement, rape, and other inhuman acts[1]. The UN Independent Fact-Finding Mission on Libya has described these abuses as possible crimes against humanity and war crimes[2]. There are no other words to describe Italy and the EU as “partner in crimes”, as they are fully known to assist Libya’s coast guard to violate the rights of migrants and refugees[3].
What we are witnessing today is horrendous, as it is another outcome of how international players are pursuing their own interests and agendas at the expense of human lives and dignity, and the peace and security of countries.
I have been following the developments in Afghanistan for years, and I am now engaged in Libya, two countries that seem to be forgotten by the world until a tragedy strikes. And the most surreal thing is that Tripoli, is less than 300 miles/500 km away from Europe, a war-torn country at our shores in the Mediterranean Sea that nobody wants to talk about as much as other neighbouring conflicts. This is the power of safeguarding political interest by simply turning a blind eye to tragedies.
Italy, which has a long and complex history with Libya as its former colonial power, has been one of the main supporters of the UN-backed Government of National Accord (GNA) in Tripoli, as it sees it as a legitimate and internationally recognized partner that can help Italy protect its interests in Libya, such as energy, migration, and counter-terrorism. Italy has also tried mediating between the different Libyan factions and the external actors involved in the conflict, by hosting several diplomatic initiatives, such as the Palermo conference in 2018 and the Rome meeting in 2020. However, for its policy of ‘equidistance’ between the GNA and Haftar, as well as for its cooperation with Libyan militias and coastguards to curb migration flows from Libya to Europe, Italy has been at the center of heavy criticism.
Meanwhile, the root causes of the Libyan crisis, such as the lack of democratic governance, the fragmentation of state institutions, and the proliferation of armed groups, are still in a limbo stage, with no resolution. The UN-led political process has been stalled by spoilers and external interference, while the humanitarian assistance provided by the international community has been insufficient and inconsistent in its access, leaving many Libyans in dire need of food, water, health care, and protection. Yet, what has been consistent, has been the renewed agreements and funding, from the EU in establishing detention centers for migrants and refugees in Libya to “contain and manage illegal migration flow”, and the provision of military and financial assistance from other international actors to both conflicting parties in exchange of lucrative contracts over resources[4].
Libya is one of the most vulnerable countries to climate change in the world, facing increasing temperatures, water scarcity, desertification, and land degradation. These environmental challenges are among key factors that exacerbated the conflict, poverty, and insecurity that have plagued Libya since the 2011 uprising and the subsequent collapse of the state. As a consequence, many Libyans , and non -Libyans crossing those territories, have been forced to flee their homes and seek refuge in other parts of the country or abroad, often facing violence, exploitation, and human rights abuses along the way.
The cyclone Daniel should be a wake-up call for the public, rather than for the international community, I would say. As citizens, we chose our governments and their politics, we influence the policies and actions, and we can change the narrative about Libya and other countries, when it comes to conflict resolution and resources, political agenda, migration and climate change.
As an Italian citizen, humanitarian and activist I strongly feel we can no longer stay silent about the horrors in Libya. Libya is not a problem that can be ignored or contained, and its vulnerability and resources should not be used to advance any longer the interests and agendas of others.
[1] https://www.hrw.org/news/2023/02/01/italy-reups-funding-force-migrants-back-libya [2] https://www.msf.org/italy-libya-agreement-five-years-eu-sponsored-abuse-libya-and-central-mediterranean [3] https://www.globaldetentionproject.org/14-february-2023-libya
[4] For example, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Egypt have supported the Libyan National Army (LNA) led by General Khalifa Haftar, who launched a military offensive against the internationally recognized Government of National Accord (GNA) in Tripoli in 2019. The UAE and Egypt have provided Haftar with weapons, drones, mercenaries, and air strikes, hoping to gain access to Libya’s oil fields and ports3. On the other hand, Turkey and Qatar have backed the GNA with military and financial assistance, seeking to secure lucrative contracts and maritime agreements in Libya.
Comments