Qatar Reaffirms Commitment to Healing Libya's Deep Political Rifts

During a recent visit to Benghazi, Mohammed bin Abdulaziz al-Khulaifi reiterated Qatar's dedicated support for resolving the enduring political division within Libya. The Qatari minister of state held discussions with Khalifa Haftar, the commander of the self-styled Libyan National Army, which is aligned with the unrecognised eastern-based government.

Since 2014, Libya has remained divided between the Tripoli-based government of National Unity, headed by Abdul Hamid Dbeibah, and the eastern administration of Osama Hammad, which is supported by Khalifa Haftar. Al-Khulaifi's visit emphasized Qatar's backing for Libyan unity and sovereignty as the nation prepares to implement a newly forged election pact.

According to an official statement from the Qatari Foreign Ministry, both officials reviewed regional developments and shared topics of common interest. Al-Khulaifi highlighted Qatar's endorsement of a political framework driven by Libyan aspirations to protect national sovereignty, while emphasizing the importance of ongoing dialogue and reconciliation to achieve stability.

Furthermore, al-Khulaifi stated that Qatar will maintain active engagement with various Libyan leaders and factions to support United Nations initiatives aimed at reaching a lasting political agreement. He had previously informed Al Jazeera about his talks in Tripoli regarding collaborative approaches to bolster the national dialogue and political process.

Negotiators from Libya recently reached a preliminary election agreement designed to conclude years of internal division. A document reviewed by Al Jazeera Arabic details the accord established by the “4+4” committee during meetings in Tunisia, which outlines revised regulations for presidential and legislative elections along with a 24-month implementation timeline. The committee comprised four delegates from the eastern House of Representatives and four from the Tripoli-linked High Council of the State.

Despite this progress, the agreement remains fragile amid complaints from various stakeholders who claim exclusion from the negotiations or lack of access to the final text. While the United Nations has praised the development as a significant milestone, experts note that enacting the pact presents formidable hurdles due to fractured state institutions, legislative gaps, and deep-seated political mistrust. Legal and political analysts like Al-Mahdi Kashbour and Elias al-Barouni have raised concerns regarding enforcement authorities, the absence of concrete operational planning, and questions surrounding interim governance.