Erdogan’s Dilemma in Libya
June 30, 2020, 7:24 am

Dalia Ziada

You are being deluded, if the recent developments in Libya made you think that Erdogan and his Muslim brothers at the Government of National Accord (GNA) are winning the civil war against the Libyan National Army (LNA). Look again, Erdogan is in real trouble in Libya and he does not know how to get out of the hole he dug for himself, without further hurting the economic interests and foreign affairs of Turkey.

Last year, Erdogan decided to move his proxy war from Syria to Libya. He flew more than 15000 of his mercenaries from Syria to Libya via Turkish airlines, and then deployed 1600 Turkish military officers from Syria to Libya, under the claim of protecting and supporting the Islamic political agenda of his brothers at the GNA. But, that is not the real reason for Erdogan’s involvement in Libya. The ongoing civil war, disagreements between tribes, and the safe presence of terrorist organizations in Libya encouraged Erdogan, the Turkish president with the chief-thief mentality, to take advantage of the situation to satisfy Turkey’s constant hunger for Mediterranean gas and energy resources. Turkey is the biggest energy consumer in the Mediterranean basin, with annual energy bill that exceeds 41 billion dollars.

The Turkish strategy “Mavi Vatan” or “Blue Homeland,” launched 14 years ago, encompasses an ambitious plan for Turkey to win a geopolitical supremacy over the eastern Mediterranean, and, thus, sharing oil and gas drilling rights with east Mediterranean countries; including Egypt, Greece, and Israel. Other indirect stakeholders of interest in the oil and gas production at this region include the European Union and Russia. In December 2019, Turkey and the GNA signed a first-of-kind Maritime Boundary Treaty to establish an Exclusive economic zone in the Mediterranean that allows both Turkey and Libya to claim rights to ocean bed resources. The agreement also allows Turkey to control vessel movement and the gas pipes in the area. The legitimacy of the agreement has been disputed by affected countries in the eastern basin, Europe, Russia, and the United Nations.

The illegal game Erdogan has been trying to play in Libya is now firing back at him. The international community which tolerated Erdogan’s war crimes in Syria over the past six years, cannot turn a blind eye to his harassment to east Mediterranean countries. Turkey’s support to the political Islamist agenda of the GNA and implanting mercenaries in Libya poses a serious national security threat, not only to North African countries like Egypt, Algeria, and Tunisia, but also to Israel, France, Italy, and Greece. The Turkish assault on Syria has been tolerated by super powers, like the United States and Russia, because it served their respective foreign policies in the Middle East. Erdogan is the US and Russia ally closest to Syrian borders, and Erdogan’s party has strong economic and political relations, though illegitimate, with Islamic State terrorists (ISIS) northeastern Syria. However, the Turkish involvement in Libya is another story. Erdogan’s support to GNA is already acting as a threat to the interests of North African countries, South European countries, as well as Russia and the United States.

On June 6^th, the Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El Sisi, LNA Commander General Khalifa Hifter, and Speaker of Libyan parliament Aqila Saleh, released the Cairo Declaration, as an initiative to end the civil war and finding a political solution to reconstruct the Libyan national state. The surprising international support to the Cairo Declaration proves that Libya cannot be the new Syria for Erdogan. He is now fighting alone against the whole world for a territory that he has no right to claim, with foreign mercenaries and a depleting Turkish economy.

In all this, Erdogan fails to understand that he is the real obstacle in the way for Turkey’s prosperity and his removal from power is the actual solution for all Turkey’s economic, political, and international troubles.

by : Dalia Zaida

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BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has announced its sponsorship of the “Innovation and Sustainable Technology Solutions Competition (GU - IST Solutions), hosted by Gulf University at its main campus.
This strategic sponsorship reflects BENEFIT’s active role in advancing technological innovation and fostering sustainable solutions to future challenges. It also seeks to empower Bahraini youth by enhancing their skills, capabilities, and competitiveness in innovation and solution development—contributing meaningfully to the broader goals of sustainable development across all sectors.
As part of BENEFIT’s active involvement in the competition, the company has announced that Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager of Public Relations and Communication, will serve on the competition’s supervisory committee. Her upcoming participation reflects BENEFIT’s forward-looking commitment to championing academic and professional excellence.
Commenting on the occasion, Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager of Public Relations and Communication at BENEFIT, said, “We are privileged to support this pioneering initiative, which aligns seamlessly with BENEFIT’s enduring commitment to fostering innovation and nurturing the potential of Bahrain’s youth. Our participation is rooted in a deep sense of social responsibility and a firm belief in the pivotal role of innovation in shaping a sustainable future. Through such platforms, we seek to empower the next generation with the knowledge, skills, and foresight required to develop impactful solutions that address future challenges, in line with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals 2030.”
Dr. Aseel Al Ayash Dean of the College of Engineering in Gulf University commented, “We extend our sincere gratitude to BENEFIT for their generous sponsorship and support of the Innovation and Sustainable Technology Solutions Competition. This contribution plays an instrumental role in helping us achieve the strategic goals of this initiative, namely, cultivating a culture of innovation and sustainability, encouraging efforts that address the imperatives of sustainable development, and enhancing the practical and professional capabilities of our students and participants.”
The event will bring together a diverse spectrum of participants, including secondary school students, university undergraduates, engineers, industry professionals, entrepreneurs, academic researchers, and subject matter experts representing a wide range of disciplines.
The competition seeks to inspire participants to develop and present innovative, sustainable technologies aimed at addressing pressing environmental, social, and economic challenges. It encourages the formulation of business models that integrate advanced technological solutions with core principles of sustainability. Moreover, it serves as a platform for emerging leaders, entrepreneurs, and innovators to contribute to the advancement of the Sustainable Development Goals, promote the ethos of responsible technology, and demonstrate its transformative potential across various sectors.
Attendees will have the opportunity to view a series of project presentations submitted by participants, covering diverse areas such as eco-friendly product design, smart and sustainable innovations, renewable energy technologies, water conservation and management, waste minimisation and recycling, green architectural solutions, and sustainable transportation systems. Outstanding projects will be formally recognised and awarded at the conclusion of the event.