Political shifts and conflicts in this oil-rich Northern African nation have immediate and extensive consequences for the EU. Unfortunately, since the downfall of Muammar Gaddafi’s régime, the diverging interests different European countries have in the region have resulted in the EU following inconsistent policies towards Libya. Russian military involvement in Libya escalated sharply in April 2019, when Haftar launched a military campaign to capture Tripoli. According to German daily Bild, Moscow plans to build bases in six African countries, citing a secret German Foreign Ministry report. “Since 2015, Russia has concluded military cooperation agreements with 21 countries in Africa,” a sharp increase from only four military cooperation treaties across the entire continent before 2015.

Source: The North Africa Journal December 23, 2020 11:01 UTC