It is the seventh anniversary of the Skhirat Agreement, which resulted in the formation of Libya’s Government of National Accord (GNA), led by Fayez Al-Sarraj
On 17 December 2015, Libya’s rival parties signed what they called the “peace and reconciliation agreement” in the Moroccan city of Skhirat, under the auspices of the United Nations.
The goal of the agreement was simple and clear. It aimed to end the crisis and reach a solution that would satisfy the Libyan people, and the warring parties, but the reality was completely different.
The Skhirat Agreement stipulated many clauses, the most important of which are those that clarify the form and nature of the tasks associated with the GNA. They are the same clauses that now prove that the Al-Sarraj government already lost its legitimacy.
Among these provisions is one that stipulates that “the government’s term of office is only one year, and in the event that the constitution is not completed during its term, that mandate will be automatically renewed for an additional year.” The government lasted for over 6 years.
The failure to implement the terms of the agreement encouraged Al-Sarraj to take controversial decisions. He concluded two memorandums of understanding with Turkish President, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, bypassing the Libyan Parliament.
Libya has been in chaos since a NATO-backed uprising toppled longtime leader Muammar Gaddafi in 2011. The county has for years been split between rival administrations, each backed by rogue militias and foreign governments.
The current stalemate grew out of the failure to hold elections in December, and the refusal of incumbent Prime Minister, Abdel-Hamid Dbaiba, to step down. In response, the country’s eastern-based Parliament appointed a rival Prime Minister, Fathi Bashagha, who has for months sought to install his government in Tripoli.
