Khaberni - A US official revealed on Wednesday that the United States is working to mediate a power-sharing agreement between the competing administrations in eastern and western Libya, as an attempt to unite the oil-rich country.
Moessad Boulos, an advisor to US President Donald Trump on Middle East and Africa affairs, told the Financial Times that he is working on uniting the country's fragmented institutions under one authority, while encouraging American oil companies to invest.
Boulos, a Lebanese-American businessman and father-in-law of Tiffany, the president's daughter, said, "Our plan is to form a unified government and unite all institutions." However, this plan has not been formally proposed by the Libyan parties and most of its details rely on informed sources, not an announced agreement.
Boulos stated that his plan would be "complementary" to the United Nations' efforts to hold parliamentary elections and could become "part of a package... a short-term arrangement" preceding parliamentary and presidential elections.
Boulos mentioned that Washington is encouraging major American oil companies to invest in Libya, noting that ConocoPhillips and Chevron have already signed agreements with Libya in 2026.
He indicated that Libyan oil production could double to reach 3 million barrels per day by the end of the decade. He said: "This would put Libya on the global map of the major oil producers."
Unified Government under American Auspices
The newspaper noted that according to informed sources, the plan entails appointing Saddam Haftar, the son of retired Libyan general Khalifa Haftar, who controls eastern Libya, as the head of a presidential executive council.
Sources added that the head of the internationally recognized national unity government in Tripoli, Abdul Hamid Dbeibah, will continue in his role, while one of his close relatives will take up a position in national security.
Saddam Haftar holds the position of deputy commander of what is called the "Libyan National Army," the armed faction led by his father in Benghazi, eastern Libya.
The newspaper cited diplomats and analysts expressing skepticism about the feasibility of Boulos's agreement, which would formalize the authority of leaders who have relied on armed factions in Libya, amidst a lack of trust between the sides and the compromises necessary for shared governance.
Claudia Ghazini, a senior analyst at the International Crisis Group, currently visiting eastern Libya, told the newspaper: "This is merely wishful thinking... There is no public discourse here in Benghazi about reconciliation with the other side or that the time has come to move forward. It's all about the accomplishments of those currently in power, and it all relies on considering Tripoli an enemy."
Ghazini pointed out that many Libyans doubt the completion of the agreement because they "know the characters of the conflicting parties and their way of thinking."
Consultation and Support
The newspaper cited a source saying that Italy, Libya's main trade partner, was consulted about the plan and expressed support for it, but believes that its implementation will likely be difficult.
Since the 2011 revolution that toppled the late leader Muammar Gaddafi, Libya has been in a state of chaos. Following the disputed elections of 2014, the country split into two competing political camps, one in Tripoli in western Libya, and the other in Benghazi in eastern Libya.
Boulos referred to steps taken in his roadmap to unify Libya, including an agreement reached last November about funding development for both sides of the country. Additionally, for the first time in over a decade, the east and west signed a unified national budget last April.
He added that both sides also participated in the Flintlock military exercises, led by the US Africa Command (AFRICOM) and conducted in Libya last April.
Boulos said: "The most important thing is that our colleagues at AFRICOM have been and continue to work with both sides on a military unification plan."
