Fayez Sarraj anuncia su dimisión en plenas negociaciones de paz en Libia

The peace negotiations in Libya are accompanied by a deluge of resignations. The Prime Minister of the Tobruk Parliament, Abdullah al-Zani, announced his withdrawal last week. And it was only yesterday that the leader of the Government of National Accord (GNA), Fayez Sarraj, joined him and resigned his post in the middle of the peace talks. 

Sarraj announced in an interview on state television this Wednesday night that he will "to hand over the tasks of power to the coming executive authority in a time no later than October". He also urged the High Council's advisory committee to meet and elect a new Presidential Council.  

Sarraj's resignation comes amidst a struggle for internal power within the Government of National Accord (GNA) between the circle of the President of the Council and that of the Interior Minister, Fathi Bashaga. Sarraj himself dismissed Bashaga at the beginning of September and opened an investigation into him because of the violent repression of social protests by one of the militias linked to the ministry of the interior. These sanctions were short-lived, as the minister was released only three days later and returned to his post, from which he controls the security of Tripoli, the headquarters of the GNA.

 
The search for a substitute prime minister is urgent, as talks resume in Morocco next week to negotiate peace in the Libyan conflict. Sarraj has headed the Government of National Accord since the establishment of the executive in March 2016, together with President Khaled al-Mecrhi, following the failed peace process promoted by the UN in the Moroccan city of Skhirat. 

The Libyan country has been divided since the 2011 Arab Spring riots. After the death of Muammar al-Qadhafi, nine years of conflict and divisions have left the Libyan population in a state of anxiety. The energy, economic and health crises are weighing on citizens who have been marching in the streets since August against the two opposing governments. 

Libya currently has two governments: the GNA, led by Prime Minister Fayez Sarraj, and the eastern parliament of Tobruk, created in 2014 and associated with the Libyan National Army (LNA) commanded by Marshal Khalifa Haftar.

In early September the two sides reached an agreement on the need to agree on "major commitments" to end the conflict in Libya, as they announced after the first contact in Bouznika, Morocco. The list of commitments to be followed is not yet known, though the main aim is to secure a definitive ceasefire. The dialogue committees are made up of seven people and will soon announce the first agreements for a peaceful solution in Libya. 

The civil war has been raging in the North African country since 2014 and has become an international war scenario involving different foreign powers with different interests on the ground. Haftar's LNA is supported by Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt, Russia and France; meanwhile, the LNA receives military support from Turkey and financial support from Qatar, and has been recognised by the United Nations (UN) since 2016. 

Throughout the week there has been speculation in Libya about the possible resignation of Prime Minister Sarraj. The Bloomerg agency announced two days ago that the leader was considering resigning. No one seemed willing to believe it until yesterday, when Sarraj himself confirmed his resignation during prime-time television. 

As a result, the interests and representatives who are leading the peace talks have been turned upside down. The dialogues are in the focus of the international community and currently Russia and Turkey are highly influential in these agreements. For their part, the European Union and the United Nations wish to regain the leadership of the negotiations and, following this resignation, it seems to be more complicated.  

As part of this effort, the UN Security Council renewed the mandate of the international mission to Libya (UNSMIL) on Tuesday and announced it will fill the vacancy left by its latest special envoy, Ghassam Saleme, in the coming days. Moscow and Cairo support the aspirations of Marshal Khalifa Haftar, the unrecognised leader of the executive in eastern Libya and a strong military figure in the country. Following the resignation of the prime minister of the Tobruk parliament, Abdullah al-Zani, both Brussels and the UN are attempting to extol the political figure of Aguilah Saleh Issa, president of the parliament elected in 2014. 

The Tobruk Parliament was established in 2014 to replace the Libyan National General Congress after the death of Muammar al-Qadhafi and has control over western Libya.  
 

The precarious situation in the country has sparked off the anger of the population. In recent months thousands of people have taken to the streets to protest against both governments. The main demands of the mobilisations are the holding of elections, a social reform package and gas, fuel and running water shortages. Besides, a solution to the energy problem causing constant power cuts in the biggest cities is needed. 

In this scenario, Human Right Watch organization has denounced the arbitrary detention of 24 demonstrators in the capital by several armed groups, including a journalist reporting on these protests, beating some of them and using several weapons to disperse the demonstrators. Several armed militias have also been known to take to the streets to clear the marches. The violence escalated until demonstrators in Benghazi stormed and set fire to the East Libyan government headquarters and attacked the city hall. In addition, at least five people have been injured by shots fired by LNA members in the town of Al Marj. 

The protests began in Tripoli, Misrata and Zawiyah on August 23, thanks to a newly formed student movement called Harak Al-Shabab 23/08 that took to the streets to criticise both the eastern and western authorities "for the unbearable living conditions" in the country.  

Both Sarraj and Aguilah Saleh announced a ceasefire commitment a fortnight ago, but it has not been accepted by the military forces on the ground. The opposing armies continue to reinforce and move troops between the oasis of Al Jufrah and the port of Sirte, the new battle front in a war that intensified 14 months ago with the entry of mercenaries-mainly Syrians and Africans-recruited by Turkey and Russia. 

Libya has been on the list of failed states since 2011, its population is tired and struggling to get out each day in a country devastated by armed conflict. The civil war is also compounded by the largest refugee crisis on the African continent.

thousands of people cross through the country seeking to reach Europe, most of them are kidnapped by the trafficking mafias and find themselves in detention centres, extorted and forced to work to pay for a "pass" to get a plastic boat with no guarantees. The coronavirus crisis has not given Libya's health workers any rest either, as they have not been paid since March. Isolated, with no medical supplies and half of the hospitals destroyed by the armed conflict.