Libya�s UN recognized government�s decision to launch a peace initiative which is directed at stabilizing the civil war-stricken country is a welcome step. Comment.

UN recognized government of Libya has decided to launch a peace initiative which is directed at bringing stability to the civil-war stricken country. PM Sarraj has presented a move to set up a national peace forum with the assistance of UN which will be followed by presidential and parliamentary elections. Libya was pushed into a terrible chaos after the protests against the dictator Qadhafi in 2011. Latter was toppled with the help of NATO invasion but the power vacuum which was created was filled by neither the foreign powers nor the local allies. Libya at present has two governments one which is based at Tripoli and the one at Tobruk. The government at Tripoli is backed by the international recognition and is also defended by a host of militias and even some Islamist groups. The government of Tobruk is run by a self-styled Libyan National Army run by Mr. Haftar. The crisis at present was started when Gen. Haftar�s forces moved towards Tripoli to oust the Sarraj government in April 2019. Many hundreds have been killed but both sides have refused all calls for a ceasefire from the international community. Many regional forces are also at play in the Libyan puzzle as Egypt, UAE and Saudi Arabia are supporting Haftar while Turkey and Qatar back the Tripoli government. Thus, Libya has become an isolated case study in which all countries should consider that they should think beyond narrow geopolitical interests. It is easy to force a regime change in any country what is difficult is the rebuilding after that.

Topics: GS-II: Important International Institutions Agencies and Fora