BACKGROUND: The war in Libya and its ongoing impact on commercial shipping

The war is currently at a standstill, and exports are continuing. But can this situation last? How can the war further impact exports and trade to Libya?

Two factions, the GNA and the LNA, are competing for power. In the West, and controlling much of the country’s population, lies the Government of National Accord (GNA). The Tripoli-based GNA is recognised by the UN as the legitimate government of Libya, but is struggling to assert its power over the parts of the country it rules.

The GNA relies on militias and foreign powers, notably Turkey, to prop up its military power and ensure its continued existence. To the east, in Benghazi, lies the Libyan National Army (LNA) controlled by Khalifa Haftar, a former officer in the Libyan forces and defector from Gaddafi’s regime. The LNA likewise relies on militias and foreign backers, the UAE, Russia and France among others, to control its territories. Just like the GNA, it is struggling to keep these militias’ powers in check.