The Libyan Political Crisis: Implication for Human Trafficking

Background For the eighth year in a row, the Department of State’s Trafficking in Persons Report labeled Libya as a Special Case country. Typically, the Department of State gives a country a score from one to three based on their efforts to combat human trafficking. However, the Department was unable to give Libya a score, since, during the recording period, the UN-recognized Libyan Government of National Unity (GNU) did not exercise control over a portion of Libyan territory and the country’s judicial system was not fully functioning. Because of this, it is impossible to measure the full extent of trafficking in the country. These factors, in addition to the overall political unrest and violence throughout the country, have not only prevented Libya from addressing human trafficking, but have also perpetuated the issue. According to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, human trafficking, also referred to as trafficking in persons, is the “recruitment, transportation, transfer, harboring or receipt of people through force, fraud or deception, with the aim of exploiting them for profit.” Human trafficking differs from human smuggling, which involves providing a service such as transportation or fraudulent documentations to assist a voluntary individual in illegally entering a foreign country. Libyan Political Capacity Libya’s government and political system have been in shambles since the outbreak of Civil War in early 2011 when rebel forces, backed by NATO, took over Tripoli and killed long-time dictator Muammar Qaddafi. The National Transitional Council (NTC) was established in Benghazi and was recognized by the US and other major powers as the legitimate governing body in Libya. However, the introduction of a new governing body did not foster peace in the country. In early 2014, protestors began demanding a new election or a replacement of the General National Congress (GNC) after the end of its mandate. In May 2014, General Khalifa Haftar, leader of the Libyan National Army (LNA), launched ‘Operation Dignity’ to attack Islamist militant groups in eastern Libya. Through the rest of 2014, violence escalated into a civil war between the Islamist group Libya Dawn and the Dignity coalition in eastern Libya. In December 2015, the UN brokered the Libyan Political Agreement and a partial ceasefire was declared. The UN attempted to establish a new Government of National Accord (GNA), but the parliament in Tobruk refused to accept the government, further intensifying the conflict. Meanwhile, the Islamic State’s presence grew in the country, leading the Tripoli-based GNA in launching Operation Impenetrable Wall in April 2016 to expel the Islamic State. In October of 2020, a permanent ceasefire was reached between the LNA and GNA through the 5+5 Joint Libyan Military Commission.