Pursuing the end of the civil war through a negotiated solution should still be the number one priority for Americans and Europeans alike

In the first two months of 2015, Libya has rapidly climbed in the list of the top foreign policy priorities of many European capitals. Even for non-Mediterranean EU member states, Libya now comes right after Ukraine and Syria/Iraq as it includes two threats that resonate in the Western European domestic debate: the first is jihadism and ISIS, particularly felt after the Paris and Copenhagen terrorist attacks; the second threat is uncontrolled migrations, which in connection with the fear of Islamism create a high level of concern beyond the boundaries of populist parties. Since the beginning of the new civil war in Libya in May 2014, European policy-makers have struggled to find a solution to the crisis and they are now faced with the old dilemma of choosing between diplomacy and war.

The rise of Daesh (as ISIS is known in Arabic) in Libya is as recent as it is dramatic. The first group to openly take center stage, based in the eastern city of Derna, swore allegiance to the so-called Caliphate in October. Since then, the organization has conducted attacks almost everywhere in northern Libya: in Tobruk as well as in Tripoli, where an attack against the Corinthia Hotel on 27 January (which resulted in the death of a US and a French citizen) started to cause alarm. A further escalation originated from the release of the video showing the beheading of 21 Egyptians, most of them Christian Copts, on February 15. This sparked a reaction by Egypt which conducted several air strikes in Libya in coordination with the air force of the internationally-recognized government sitting in Tobruk.

Meanwhile, key members of the Italian government, including the Minister of Foreign Affairs and the Minister of Defense, had stated that Italy was ready to intervene militarily in Libya and go as far as sending ground troops. This seemed to dovetail with Egypt’s simultaneous diplomatic offensive at the UN, aimed at getting a UN mandate for an intervention in Libya against Daesh. Egypt’s request at the UN Security Council seemed enjoy particularly strong support from France.

This potential alignment in favor of a new international intervention lasted less than 24 hours. Italy’s Prime Minister Matteo Renzi back-tracked on the Italian role and a few hours later a joint statement by the US and major European countries (including Italy) pushed back against the military option and promoted a UN-led dialogue as the only solution to Libya’s problems. Even the second Egyptian diplomatic attempt, namely a Security Council resolution aimed at lifting the arms embargo on the Tobruk government, hit against a joint European and American push-back.

For all the talk of European disunity in the Middle East and North Africa, the events of 16 February showed a remarkable European ability to find common ground both among large member states and with the US. This European unity came on the heels of an EU Foreign Affairs Council held a week earlier in which a shared and comprehensive plan emerged. The EU agreed to put all its weight behind a political agreement, stating its readiness to work with and assist the national unity government that would result from such an agreement while preserving the neutrality of economic institutions so that none of the warring parties could control Libyan finances in order to sustain the fighting. The EU has also formalized its readiness to issue individual sanctions against Libyan warlords boycotting dialogue, without waiting for a Security Council decision in this sense. Last but not least, the EU promised a Common Security and Defense Policy (CSDP) mission, which would include a peace-keeping force to guarantee the implementation of an agreement.

This is an excerpt of an article first published by Aspenia Online. For the full article, click here. For a complete list of Mattia Toaldo's media commentary on the situation in Libya, click here.

Read more on: The Middle East and North Africa, Syria / Iraq / Lebanon, IS, North Africa, Libya