Hill Briefing: Libya, Russia, & the 2019 Libya Stabilization Act

December 3, 2019 | 12 pm to 2 pm | Russell 485 | RSVP

Dear Friends and Colleagues,

Despite international efforts to resolve the conflict since 2011, violence and instability persist in Libya. With the absence of a clear US role in Libya, a paralyzed UN Mission, and increased Russian engagement, Libya is facing its biggest political and humanitarian crisis since World War II.

On April 4th, 2019, warlord Khalifa Haftar, backed by Russian forces affiliated with the Wagner Group, launched a brutal offensive on the Libyan capital of Tripoli. Aiming to control Libya’s political and financial institutions, including the Central Bank and the National Oil Corporation, the ongoing offensive has left thousands dead and hundreds of thousands internally displaced. Given the US vacuum in Libya since 2012, Russia’s footprint in Libya grows larger by the day, threatening not only Libya’s fragile democracy and civil state, but also strategic US interests in the region, from counterterrorism to trade to migration.

This past month, Senators Chris Coons (D-DE), Linsey Graham (R-SC), Chris Murphy (D-CT), and Marco Rubio (R-FL) introduced the Libya Stabilization Act, a bill that clarifies and strengthens U.S. policy in support of a diplomatic solution to the conflict in Libya.

On December 3rd, in Room 485 of the Russell Senate Office Building, the Libyan American Alliance will hold a briefing on Capitol Hill to discuss the increasing role of Russia in Libya and how the Libya Stabilization Act addresses this and other political crises in Libya that threaten US strategic interests. Questions from the audience will follow panelists’ brief statements. Lunch will be provided. RSVP below.

We look forward to seeing you!

Sincerely,
The LAA Team