The British magazine, The Economist, has reported that Abdul Hamid Dabaiba, the Head of the Government of National Unity, and his family have systematically depleted the treasury of Libya, this nation ought to be among Africa’s wealthiest due to its abundant natural resources.
The magazine added that Tripoli’s efforts to rebuild the state after Muammar Gaddafi’s overthrow in 2011 are facing a clear decline amid widespread public discontent.
The capital, Tripoli, has witnessed big demonstrations, with thousands of Libyans expressing their anger over delayed elections and their ongoing wait for the United Nations’ promise of a transitional government led by Dabaiba in February 2021. Protesters have demanded the overthrow of the current system, the holding of elections, and the restoration of unity between the country’s east and west.
The Economist indicated that foreign diplomats have begun to speak of Dabaiba’s rule in the past tense, even with the reopening of Tripoli airport, while nonetheless expressing a lingering hope for the government to be granted a final opportunity to remain in power.
Concurrently, the government championed the slogan “Libya Builds” and launched ambitious projects, such as the “Expo” exhibition, which attracted investors from China, Turkey, and Malta. However, a succession of security incidents and localised tensions cast a shadow over these plans, impeding their implementation.
Dbeibah had pledged to transform the Al-Kikli military barracks in Tripoli into a public park and to combat the remaining militias in the capital, which he controversially labelled “sharks.” Nevertheless, observers fear that the potential absence of these groups could paradoxically heighten the fragility of his authority, in the vacuum of a stable security alternative.