A Decisive Moment for Libya’s Transition
For more than fourteen years, Libya has been an open arena for international political experiments, marked by rotating initiatives, missions, and temporary agreements that have failed to produce lasting stability or institutions capable of enforcing the rule of law. This prolonged phase has not been merely the product of internal divisions; it is the cumulative result of international approaches that prioritized managing crises over resolving them, and procedural formalities over measurable results. Such conditions allowed parallel power networks—combining illicit economic resources with armed capabilities—to penetrate state institutions, eroding centralized decision-making. The outcome has been the prolongation of the transitional phase and the entrenchment of a fragile political reality in which instability perpetuates itself.
Recent regional experience shows that implementable solutions do not necessarily start as long-term frameworks, but derive their value from their ability to create a “moment of agreement” that can shift the trajectory of conflict. In this context, the U.S.-brokered agreement between the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Rwanda illustrates how swift understandings and direct agreements can deliver short-term political breakthroughs and reset security and economic priorities, even if structurally fragile. This approach—combining decisive political pressure with investment incentives—is particularly relevant to Libya, where targeted, politically-backed agreements could recalibrate the equation and open a path toward measurable stability.
In recent years, Libya has undergone a strategic shift away from exclusive reliance on open-ended UN-led processes toward direct understandings with capable regional actors. Within this framework, the Government of National Unity has developed a strategic plan with partners such as Turkey, Italy, and Qatar to reduce irregular migration through strengthened border enforcement, advanced technical tools, rapid return mechanisms, and dismantling smuggling networks on both shores of the Mediterranean. This plan is more than a security response; it is a broader vision to transform Libya from an unregulated transit point into a platform for security and economic cooperation that delivers measurable results and offers a regional model combining deterrence with development.
At the heart of this vision lies a clear strategic triad: consolidating legitimate state authority by unifying and strengthening security forces under a single command; combating the parallel economy and illicit networks that undermine investment and trust; and activating justice and governance institutions to ensure accountability and transparency. These are not political slogans but essential preconditions for any transition to a “profitable and effective Libya” and the foundation for productive partnerships with the United States or other allies.
From Enforceable Sovereignty to Economic Opportunity
Economically, the government has set out a $70 billion partnership vision spanning energy, minerals, infrastructure, and Mediterranean trade. This vision is already taking shape, notably through the National Oil Corporation’s MoU with ExxonMobil for strategic energy projects and the $235 million offshore development contract for structures A and E signed with U.S.-based Hill International. These projects send strong market signals, link Libya to global supply chains, and prove that enforceable sovereignty can directly translate into job-creating, growth-generating opportunities—delivering measurable returns for the U.S. economy while reinforcing Libya’s sovereign foundations.
The government has also demonstrated crisis management through the “Return of Life” plan launched in 2021, addressing liquidity shortages, electricity outages, and security improvements. Security sector reforms have included disarming unlawful militias, dismantling illicit financial networks, and integrating former combatants into official institutions under unified command—reducing violence and enabling the Ministries of Defense and Interior to perform their sovereign duties effectively.
Diplomatically, this vision has been advanced through direct engagement in Washington, producing agreements to open new avenues for energy, investment, and security cooperation; reinvest assets of the Libyan Investment Authority frozen for 14 years; establish a bipartisan U.S.–Libya parliamentary framework; reduce irregular migration; expand gas and energy partnerships to strengthen European energy security; and deepen intelligence cooperation against terrorism.
Delivering Measurable Wins for Peace, Security, and Prosperity
Our vision for Libya’s partnership with the United States is defined by tangible, trackable outcomes. It is a relationship built to deliver measurable wins for peace, security, and prosperity in the Mediterranean — from reducing irregular migration flows and dismantling criminal networks, to expanding energy supplies for allied markets and fostering sustainable economic growth. These are results that can be quantified, communicated, and built upon, turning diplomatic commitments into concrete achievements on the ground.
Supporting Libya’s sovereignty, fostering national consensus, and acting decisively against spoilers can pave the way for a historic peace agreement credited to the U.S. administration after fourteen years of division and instability. This peace would be the product of a pathway linking security with development, giving Libya lasting stability and providing a real-world example of how decisive field action and implementable political agreements can converge into a single achievement.
This is not an idealistic appeal but a proposal for a results-based partnership: Libya does not seek U.S. forces or direct federal funding, but offers secure commercial deals that generate contracts and jobs for U.S. companies and workers, while advancing energy security, reducing irregular migration, and positioning Libya at the heart of regional stability as a bridge between Africa and Europe, a reliable energy source, and a post-conflict reconstruction model.
Abdul Hamid Dbeibeh is Libya's Prime Minister of the Government of National Unity
