Event Summary:
- On August 18, 2015 the Arab League held an emergency meeting to address the call for the internationally recognized Libyan government to the league to conduct airstrikes on Islamic State.
- They held the meeting in Cairo where they said that the league was currently engaged in Iraq, Syria and Yemen they however agreed to allow the military to be directly armed by members to help fight Daesh group.
- They however said that the Greater Powers in the world were at a better position to provide immediate aid.
Analysis:
Towards the end of last week Libya’s international recognized government sought the help of the Arab League in bombing DAESH positions in Sirte Libya.
The Arab League is a 22-member political organization that draws its membership from Arab countries in North Africa, Horn of Africa and Arabia. The leagues main goal is “draw closer the relations between member States and co-ordinate collaboration between them, to safeguard their independence and sovereignty, and to consider in a general way the affairs and interests of the Arab countries”.
The League convened an emergency meeting in Cairo Egypt to that effect aimed and deliberating on a way forward for the looming crisis in Libya accelerated by the Islamic State since the ouster of Gadhafi in 2011.
The meeting resulted to the leagues resolution not to publicly endorse airstrikes in Libya. The leagues sited the call as coming at the worst of times when the league was thorough engaged with Takfiri in Iraq, Syria and Yemen. They however agreed to allow the military be directly armed by members to help fight Daesh group in the country.
The League implied that they would require assistance from the Great Powers who were better placed to offer immediate assistance.
The Islamic State in Libya seized Sirte town in June causing clashes between them and the local militia. Their hostile takeover left scores dead taking advantage of the divisions in the government in a country that has three rival governments with only one internationally acclaimed.
Conclusion:
The Daesh is slowly but steadily finding haven in Libya due to its current political instability, its proximity to the Middle East and position in the Maghreb. Since the intensified anti-Islamic State war was launched in the Middle East the Islamist militants have sought refuge in North Africa and especially Libya.
The call for involvement of the Greater powers is a clear indication that the Daesh crisis was worse than anticipated and therefore requires the ‘big guns’ to tackle. The failure to endorse the airstrike clearly alienates the Daesh problem as not only and Arab States’ problem but rather a global issue that require instant and utmost response and attendance.
