Fired Libyan ambassador to the UN lashes out at UN and unity government

The ambassador, Ibrahim Dabbashi, had already been fired three times as ambassador to the UN. He was fired twice by the al-Thinni administration of the House of Representatives (HoR) government.

He was also fired once by the Presidency Council(PC) of the UN-backed Government of National Accord (GNA). He simply ignored the firings and up to August 26 had simply stayed on with the UN not taking any action. However, in the list of permanent representatives the definitive record of who is the envoy of each country, Dabbashi's name is gone and instead Elmahdi Elmajerbi represents Libya.

Dabbashi broke with the Al-Thinni HoR administration some time ago. He broke with the HoR government at the end of 2015. He then backed the UN-brokered and supported Government of National Accord (GNA). However, of late he has been distancing himself from it as well. He received a great deal of criticism when he questioned the loyalty of some Misrata brigades involved in the Sirte offensive to the GNA. Taha Siala the foreign minister said that Elmajerbi had taken over as Dabbashi had served the legal limit of four years on the job. Dabbashi had assumed office July 23 2013 so four years service would end July 23 next year.

In a letter to "Excellency and dear friend" Ban, Dabbashi claims that Libya is in effect under an undeclared trusteeship of the UN run by a Troika of Martin Kobler, Special Representative of the Secretary-General (SRSG), and two ambassadors who make decisions on behalf of the Libyan people. The group is assisted by a dialogue committee dominated by foreigners but of Libyan descent, as well as radical Islamists." Dabbashi also protests that he had been ejected from the UN New York headquarters building.

In his letter, Dabbashi claimed that his ousting was illegal because the head of the GNA, Presidency Council (PC), Faiez Serraj did not have the power to dismiss him since the GNA has not yet been approved by the HoR. While Dabbashi insists he supports the Libya Political Agreemet (LPA) he claimed that he and others were astonished at the careless behavior of the United National Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL). He said that UNSMIL encouraged violations of the UNSMIL by delaying " the implementation of security measures and recognising non-consensual and unlawful decisions of the PC"'.

Dabbashi also criticized the UN for dealing with the High State Council, a mainly advisory body consisting of former members of the rival General National Congress, as the GNA had not yet been given a vote of confidence from the HoR. As well he condemned the GNA for relying on militia for its security. Finally, he targeted UNSMIL head, Martin Kobler, specifically for statements discrediting the Libyan National Army, and its war on terror in Benghazi and Derna. Haftar's siege in Derna has been classified as a war crime by some. Haftar is laying siege to jihadist groups who were instrumental in ejecting the Islamic State from Derna.

Government of National Accord may gain access to Libyan sovereign wealth fund

The Libyan Ambassador to the UN, Ibrahim Dabbashi, wants the UN to approve a sanctions exemption for the Libyan sovereign wealth fund (LIA). The LIA was controlled by the Gadaffi family.

Dabbashi complained about ineffective management of the frozen assets. The sanctions were imposed to stop Gaddafi from escaping with Libya's wealth. Dabbashi said: “The LIA estimates that in 2014 alone, instead of increasing the value of its assets base, it had real losses of $721 million. Furthermore, it lost an additional $1.6 billion to $2.3 billion in what would have been returns on investment if its assets had been properly invested in conservative investments with competitive interest rates.” Dabbashi told Reuters the LIA has about $67 billion in assets. Dabbashi made it clear that his government would not use the assets, only try to ensure that they were better managed so as not to lose more money.

Dabbashi is ambassador to the UN for the House of Representatives (HoR). The UN now recognizes the new UN-brokered Government of National Accord (GNA) as the one legitimate government of Libya, not the previously recognized HoR. The UN is likely to grant an exception to the sanctions or lift them only when the GNA is up and running. The HoR has not yet approved or recognized the GNA. The UN is unlikely to change the sanction regulations until the GNA is in control..

The UN Security Council unanimously passed a resolution that extended sanctions against the country until July 31, 2017. The resolution asked that the GNA confirm to the Security Council committee that monitors sanctions, "as soon as it exercises sole and effective oversight over the National Oil Corportation, the Central Bank of Libya, and the Libyan Investment Authority." No doubt the UN will then give the government it recognizes, the GNA, an exception to sanctions, after it has gained control of the three key institutions including the LIA. Once the GNA control these three, finances for the rival HoR and GNC government will dry up and the GNA will have plenty of funds to buy off opposition.

The extended ban by the Security Counci also applies to crude oil shipment from Libyan territories controlled by institutions not related to the GNA. Resolution 2278 reads: "The Security Council… Condemns attempts to illicitly export crude oil from Libya, including by parallel institutions which are not acting under the authority of the Government of National Accord." The resolution asks the GNA to inform the international community if there is oil trade that is illicit so that action can be taken against oil smugglers. An official from the petroleum guards headed by Ibrahim Jodhran pledged loyalty to the GNA: "All the oil terminals under our jurisdiction have been placed under the authority of the unity government." Jodhran is an opponent of Haftar. No doubt his approval of the GNA may be opportunistic in that he wants to ensure that his export of oil is illegal. The move may infuriate Haftar.

There is silence from the media about what the reaction of the HoR is to recent events in Tripoli. The HoR has insisted that there be a vote on the GNA and an amendment to the constitutional declaration before the GNA is legitimate. There have been at least five meetings held by the HoR. This week, president of the HoR, Ageela Salah, now sanctioned by the EU, begged HoR members twice to attend so there would be a quorum. Not enough came for a quorum.

We may know Monday what will be happening. Already a tweet claims the the HoR will hand over power to a military tribunal: "Unconfirmed reports Buera - MP, longtime federalist, and #Libya HoR's lead UN negotiator - announced HoR will hand power to military council." If true this will be the end any GNA to rule all of Libya, Cyrenaica could split off. It would be interesting to see what Jhodran would do then. In the past he has himself worked for an autonomous eastern area.

Libyan diplomat's defence of UN envoy Leon actually shows Leon's bias

Ibrahim Dabbashi, the Libyan envoy to the UN, from the internationally-recognized House of Representatives(HoR) government, came to the defense of Bernardino Leon the outgoing UN special envoy to Libya.

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His defense actually reveals that Leon was biased against the Tripoli-based General National Congress government(GNC). The Guardian article showed that Leon was offered a high-paying job in the UAE in June while he was in charge of UN attempts to reach a political agreement between the two rival Libyan governments. Dabbashi claims the Guardian leaks show that Leon was well versed in complications of the Libyan situation and resistant to the pressure put on him by powerful countries. As well, he was committed to UN rules. Leon may have been well versed in the complications of the Libyan situation but it is not clear that he resisted the pressure put on him by the UAE to try to discredit the General National Congress government in Tripoli. While Leon did consult with the UN with respect to his negotiations for a job paying more than $1,500 a day as the head of a diplomatic college in Abu Dhabi, the UN clearly did not apply its own rules governing conflicts of interest.

Dabbashi, in an article he published on his official Facebook page, accuses the M16 — the UK Intelligence Agency — of leaking the emails the Guardian published showing among other things that Leon intended to delegitimize the General National Congress and increase the power of the internationally-recognized House of Representatives(HoR) government. Dabbashi thinks that the purpose of the revelations were not to defame Leon but to send a message to his successor Martin Kobler to begin the dialogue process anew and carry out M15 plans. For the difference between M15 and M16 see this site..

Dabbashi believes the U.S., UK, and EU have a view of strategy in Libya that differs from that of the UN and the UN Security Council. The UN and UN Security Council regard the HoR as the only legitimate authority in Libya. However, the U.S., UK, and EU want to ensure the GNC had some power and representation in any unity government and the GNC armed forces are part of the process. Leon was trying to "disintegrate Libya Dawn and shatter the alliance between the Islamists in the GNC and Misrata...in addition to pushing the armed groups out of the cities and creating a national unity government of moderate figures from both parties."

Rather than defending Leon, Dabbashi's assertions, if true, confirm that not only was Leon partial to the HoR but he was actively attempting to foster division within the GNC government. He also was trying to "disintegrate" the Libya Dawn the main armed forces of the GNC. This would weaken the GNC and its bargaining power. There is ample evidence that Leon did pursue this policy.

As early as July, Leon had met with a number of commanders of militia in Misrata that he thought might support an agreement that the GNC and its main forces could reject. The speaker of the GNC parliament, Abu Sahmain, " found it strange that Leon had repeatedly met with revolutionaries of the General Staff without permission from the Commander-in-Chief or the GNC's dialogue team." This was part of Leon's plan to as Dabbashi put it to "disintegrate Libya Dawn." Some of the militia associated with Misrata and elsewhere had rocky relations with Tripoli and Leon could have enticed them to support him even when the GNC would not go along. Leon was eventually able to get numerous militia groups to sign a letter supporting a unity government. Leon held these meetings more than once. By early September as new meetings took place Sahmain not only complained to the UN but threatened legal action:GNC President Nuri Abu Sahmain has now threatened to take legal action against it because it had been in contact with military officers from the west of Libya without the permission of the GNC or the army. In a strongly-worded letter to UNSMIL chief Bernardino Leon made public yesterday, Abu Sahmain complained .. he had since heard that UNSMIL was making arrangements for a meeting with a number of “Revolutionaries’ Army leaders” from Tripoli, Misrata, Zintan, Gharyan and Zawya without giving notice to the supreme commander of the Libyan army – himself.These are clear moves meant to undercut the authority of the GNC and work with militia leaders independently of any chain of authority reaching back into the GNC government. These actions are clearly not neutral or impartial and involve advancing some of the actions that would be approved by the UAE.

The Middle East Eye has a long article detailing how Leon's strategies were being worked out in conjunction with authorities in the UAE. The article shows Leon was covertly working with the UAE to support the HoR side in the process while he was supposed to be an impartial mediator. One clear example of this is a letter sent to UAE Foreign Minister Abdullah al-Nahyan on December 31st last year: “All my movements and proposals have been consulted with (and in many cases designed by) the HOR and Aref Nayed and Mahmud Jibril (with whom I speak on a daily basis) following Your request,” Leon wrote, capitalising “your” to reflect Abdullah’s royal status in Abu Dhabi. Mahmud Jibril is a prominent Libyan politician who lives in the UAE and who previously served as Libya’s interim prime minister during the 2011 NATO-backed revolution that overthrew the late Muammar Gaddafi. Aref Nayed is the House of Representatives (HoR) ambassador to the UAE.The full text of the letter can be found here. The article claims Leon's plan as set out in the emails was to reconcile the head of the HoR armed forces with the Misrata militias and have the Muslim Brotherhood-dominated GNC "disappear." This hardly worked out. No doubt working with a large team Leon was unable in many instances to do what he hoped to do. As far as his final draft Libya Political Agreement(LPA) is concerned some of the Misrata militia that he managed to divide from the GNC support it while Haftar rejects it. Ironically as well, the Muslim Brotherhood as a party supports the draft although there are deep divisions within the party. Leon often points to the LPA itself as evidence of his lack of bias. It is more likely it shows his inability to push his own agenda to the degree he would have liked. He was not working alone but with dozens of others to create the draft agreement.

Tobruk Libyan government rejects EU plan to deal with migrant crisis

The ambassador to the UN of the internationally-recognized Libyan government, Ibrahim Dabbashi, rejected most of an EU plan to deal with the growing migrants crisis largely centered in Libya.

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Dabbashi complained his government, even though it is Western-backed, was not even consulted on the issue. He ruled out any EU forces on the ground at this stage. He also said the best way to solve the crisis was to arm the "legitimate" Libyan government, that is the government in Tobruk rather than the rival government based in Tripoli.

He also warned if there is no progress in the UN-sponsored peace talks in the next few weeks, his own government would take the necessary steps to retake the capital by force. His government already is trying to do that and announced an offensive as the first peace talks began. The commander of the armed forces, Khalifa Haftar, has refused to meet with the militia on the other side, Libya Dawn. Dabbashi said his government had been left out of international discussions of the migrant crisis which has seen increasing numbers of desperate migrants die at sea.

Diplomats have been working on a draft Security Council resolution that would authorize a military operation to seize suspected migrant smuggling ships not only on the high seas but in Libyan territorial waters and even on the coast. Federica Mogherini, the EU policy chief, is to outline the plans to the Security Council on Monday. Diplomats claim that Libya's approval is needed for the operation in its territorial waters and on its coasts. Apparently, they were expecting a request that would allow the operation from the Tobruk government. There is no mention of the role or position of the Tripoli government in all of this. Apparently their position does not matter, actions would go ahead with or without their approval.

Dabbashi asked why Libya should send an approval letter to the Council when they had not been consulted. He said that Libya would not accept any boots on the ground. He also opposed sending more boats to patrol off the coast of Libya complaining that it would just mean more migrants remaining in Libya and being a huge burden on local authorities. He also objected to destroying the smuggling boats saying that it would be difficult to distinguish smuggling boats from other boats. Russia too has objected the destroying smuggling boats as "going too far". Dabbashi tied in the solution to the migrant crisis with the Tobruk government taking control of the whole country, completely rejecting the whole idea of the UN-sponsored peace talks which is to agree to a unity government and find a political not a military solution. Yet Dabbashi said:"Once the government retakes the capital, Tripoli, and controls the whole western area of Libya, I think it would be very easy to stop this flow of illegal immigrants to Europe because we know everyone who is involved in this business,"

The Tripoli-based government, or the Salvation Government as it describes itself, recently held a meeting of representatives from coastal cities in its area of control together with security agencies, to devise means of combating illegal migration. The government stressed the need to cooperate with the EU in fighting illegal migration and said it was trying to open mutual work-channels with the EU. There is no mention of the specific EU proposals presented to the UN Security Council. The Tripoli government has rejected the description of it as Islamist claiming that it represents all Libyans. The appended video shows a patrol from a Tripoli-controlled area