On 27 January, Brookings released a commentary piece by Stephanie T. Williams, Nonresident Senior Fellow and former Special Advisor to the UN Secretary-General (SASG), entitled ‘Libya’s hybrid armed groups dilemma’. In her article, Williams assesses that Libya is experiencing a relative calm that presents a unique opportunity for the US and like-minded allies to build on pre-disarmament, demobilisation, and reintegration (DDR) efforts. Williams says such efforts will help tackle Libya’s ‘hybrid armed group quandary’, which she terms as a ‘generational challenge’. Williams explains that Libya is different from other post-conflict environments given that it is a ‘rentier state’ where hybrid armed groups have infiltrated official bodies. Williams argues that DDR and security sector reform (SSR) should focus on decentralisation, accountability, and justice, honouring the Libyan people’s demand for civilian control over the military. She says armed actors should not be incorporated in the political process and that Magnitsky-level sanctions should be ‘on the table for those who abuse human rights and perpetrate the blatant theft of the Libyan people’s patrimony’.
Read the full commentary here.