Special Political and Decolonization Committee
Libya
Republic of Azerbaijan
Emma di Pretoro
Forest Hills Eastern
Nowadays, the country of Libya is being “led” in two different parts: the western half of the country is run by a UN-backed government based in Tripoli, and the eastern half is ruled by Khalifa Haftar, who used to be a close ally of Colonel Muamar Gaddafi before they had an argument in the 1980s. Haftar fled the country and lived in Virginia for almost 20 years (spending part of that time with the CIA) before returning to Libya to assist in the overthrow of Gaddafi. Libya has lived in instability since the overthrow of Gaddafi in October 2011. Since then, irregular militias hold power in large territories while up to five governments have been succeeding in the struggle to gain control of the country. In addition, in 2014 the armed groups that overthrew Gaddafi in three years earlier faced control of the country until today, thus causing a civil war.
After Azerbaijan regained its independence with the dissolution of the Soviet Union, on October 9, 1991, the Azerbaijan Armed Forces were founded, as stipulated in the Armed Forces Law. In 2002, Azerbaijan had 95,000 active elements in its armed forces, in addition to 17,000 troops in paramilitary troops. The armed forces are made up of three branches: the army, the air force and the military. However, they also encompass several military subgroups that can intervene in national defense if required. Among these are the Internal Troops of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the State Border Service, which includes the Coast Guard. The Azerbaijan National Guard is another paramilitary force that operates as a semi-independent entity of the State Special Protection Service, an agency under the president’s control.
The country of Azerbaijan cooperates closely with the UN in various peacekeeping programs, so it has deployed soldiers for peacekeeping in Iraq and others in Afghanistan. In 2011, the budget for military spending was $4.6 billion. The Ministry of Defense Industry manufactures small arms, artillery systems, tanks, night vision binoculars, aviation bombs, automatic military vehicles, airplanes and military helicopters. In 2011, at the same time that the countries of the Arab-Mediterranean area suffered repression by area governments resisting the push for democracy known as the “Arab Springs”, Libya suffered an armed revolt against the Muammar Gaddafi regime that led to a civil war. The UN Security Council, through its Resolution urged to take all necessary measures for the protection of the population, which led to the intervention of several Western countries subsequently led by NATO. The United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) was created as a result of the civil war that took place at that time. UNSMIL is not a military mission, but a political one led by the Department of Political Affairs. It aims to help the National Transitional Council rebuild the State of Law and other institutions of the country. Its mandate was last extended on 13 September 2018 to last until 15 September 2019. The institutions created in 2012 were not able to control armed confrontations between different settled factions that in turn controlled important territorial areas, including oil fields with their commercial management. In 2014, the “Operation Dignity” took place, whose objective will be to depose the CGN, formed at that time after different alliances, by a majority of Islam, as well as to end the Daesh terrorist cells established in important enclaves of Libya. In 2015, the “Libyan Political Agreement” was reached, establishing the “Government of National Agreement” (GAN) and the Tobruk Assembly is recognized as Parliament. The government led by Al Sarraj (GNA) has international recognition, although not with part of the Libyan armed militias. The LNA, since its creation, controls the east and south of the country and, in January 2019, initiated a campaign to control the oil fields of the south and move to the west of the country, in order to take Tripoli.
In 2015, Azerbaijan and Libya explored ways of developing cooperation as the country`s foreign minister Elmar Mammadyarov has met his Libyan counterpart Mohamed Al-Dairi. They highlighted traditional friendly ties between Azerbaijani and Libyan nations, saying there were fruitful opportunities for cooperation in political, economic, energy fields. Mammadyarov expressed desire that peace and stability would be restored in Libya. He also stressed the importance of further strengthening the solidarity in Muslim World. Mohamed Al-Dairi, in turn, stressed the significance of 3rd global Baku Forum, and he also noted the importance of studying the experience of Azerbaijan, saying economic, social, infrastructure projects held in the country served to well-being of people, AzerTac state news agency reported.
Azerbaijan supports a new resolution that includes an increase of humanitarian aid -that is, provide food, a place to reside, and all the needs that fulfill basic human rights- in order to reduce human suffering. Azerbaijan is seeking to decrease military conflict and violence against civilians.
- Emma di Pretoro
