Washington announced the launch of a broad U.S. initiative for direct Libyan dialogue, under the supervision and presence of President Donald Trump, in a move that diplomatic sources described as the boldest in years to regroup Libya's actual centers of influence at a single table inside the U.S. capital.
US Presidential Advisor Massad Boulos revealed that the initiative will bring together representatives of the General Command and the Government of National Unity in Washington, stressing that Trump will personally participate in the sessions, in a clear message that the US administration has decided to move from the role of traditional mediator to the role of direct sponsor of a new political path aimed at ending the division and unifying institutions, as he put it.
According to Boulos, Washington has extended invitations to the most influential figures on the ground, led by Saddam Haftar, the most prominent candidate behind the scenes to head the new Presidential Council, along with a delegation representing the General Command in addition to Abdelhamid Dbeibeh, who is strongly proposing to continue at the head of the government within a temporary sharing formula, with a political and technical delegation from Tripoli along with representatives of the House of Representatives and the High Council of State to ensure the comprehensiveness of the process and not to exclude any influential party.
Boulos stressed that Washington is not imposing ready-made solutions, but rather provides a "neutral and pressuring platform" to push the parties towards a historic settlement that ends a transitional phase that has lasted more than a decade, stressing that the final decision on the distribution of positions "rests with the Libyans themselves."
The Initiative's Objectives as Presented by Washington
The initiative, according to Washington, aims to form a short-term unified government that merges the two rival administrations, reorganizes the executive branch and opens the door to major U.S. investments in the oil sector, especially for companies such as ConocoPhillips and Chevron, with the aim of raising Libyan production to 3 million barrels per day.
Washington hopes that the final agreement will be signed at the White House as soon as the two delegations agree, giving the settlement unprecedented international cover.
The U.S. adviser called the initiative a "last chance" to rebuild the Libyan state on new foundations, unify military and economic institutions, and open the way for a phase of long-term political and economic stability.
Conservative Libyan reactions
Official and regional reactions to Washington's Libyan dialogue initiative range from cautious reservations to conditional welcome, in a scene that reflects the complexity surrounding any political settlement in Libya and the multiplicity of interests of the parties involved in the file.
The current Libyan Presidential Council, headed by Mohamed al-Menfi, expressed a quiet diplomatic reservation towards the American initiative, stressing its adherence to the UN track and the political references adopted under the umbrella of the UNSMIL mission, while ensuring that any international dialogue adheres to these frameworks.
The council warned that the "bilateral power-sharing" formula between Saddam Haftar and Abdelhamid Dbeibah could lead to the marginalization of his role as a consensual sovereign body and his exclusion from the next executive scene.
Conditional Turkish welcome and European concern over Washington's uniqueness
Egypt, which has historically been linked to the eastern camp, has expressed a conditional welcome to the US initiative, considering that it could contribute to unifying the executive branch and ending the division in a way that enhances the security of its western borders.
Cairo has reiterated its reservations about the continuation of the Dbeibah government, andthat it prefers the formation of a new technocratic government, although the introduction of Saddam Haftar's name to head the Presidential Council gives it security guarantees that may push it to accept the American formula.
On the other hand, Turkey is showing a calculated openness to Washington's path, according to diplomatic sources, provided that the security and maritime agreements it signed with the Tripoli government are not compromised, as Ankara is working to strengthen its channels of communication with the east, but at the same time seeks to ensure that its allies in Tripoli remain within any future governance equation to protect its investments and reconstruction projects.
The European Union, led by Italy and France, supports the US initiative in terms of energy stability and the file of illegal migration across the Mediterranean, as European capitals believe that the unification of Libyan institutions is necessary to ensure oil and gas flows, but express concern about the US exclusivity in formulating the final solution.
Who is Saddam Haftar?
Saddam Khalifa Haftar's Lieutenant General Khalifa Haftar is one of the most prominent rising figures in Libya's military and political scenes, serving as the deputy commander-in-chief of the Libyan Armed Forces in the east, the youngest son of Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar and the de facto heir to his father's network of influence in the east and south of the country.
Haftar has extensive influence on the ground and oversees sensitive financial files and security and economic committees, in addition to direct coordination with regional and international partners such as Egypt and Russia, which strengthens his position as an effective decision-maker within the military establishment.