Second Libya conference slated for Sunday; Khalifa Haftar plays hardball
A three-day Munich Security Conference will be held from today to implement agreements regarding the conflict in Libya made at the Berlin Conference on January 19.
Crisis erupted in in the north African country last April when Khalifa Haftar, commander of the self-declared Libyan National Army, launched as assault on Libya’s UN-recognised Government of National Accord in Tripoli.
The Berlin Conference, which was attended by 11 countries, pledged to enforce a ceasefire, initiate bilateral talks, fairly distribute oil and end foreign interference. Moving this forward, a UN resolution calling for the ceasefire was passed this week.
However, rather than signing the ceasefire, Haftar has pressed on with military engagement. Forces loyal to Haftar control most of Libya’s oil infrastructure and have now blocked five ports. As such, oil production is falling to its lowest level in a decade. Oil is the country’s main source of revenue and the major asset Tripoli has over Haftar.
With Haftar’s stratagem now moving to affect global oil markets, expect the UN to ramp up efforts for international task force on the ground in Libya to ensure a ceasefire holds.
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