In 2011, together with the support of regional and international actors, Libyans toppled a forty-two year-long brutal dictatorial regime. However, within just three years, the attempted democratic transition drifted into a civil war. The failures to achieve a peaceful and democratic transition in Libya provide invaluable lessons for countries and international organizations aiming at maintaining peace and security in the region. Although each conflict and context are unique, the lessons learned from the Libyan case allow to highlight broadly applicable recommendations.
To this end, this paper evaluates the nature and effectiveness of four key dimensions of the intervention of foreign actors in the Libyan conflict and its aftermaths: Military interventions; mediation; state-building; and counter-terrorism. Beginning with the decision to intervene, allegations of mass violence and killings should be closely scrutinized, verified and confirmed by multiple independent sources (e.g. journalists; INGOs) before they can serve as the basis for authorizing a military intervention. When the conditions warrant such an intervention, in line with the provisions in Chapter VII and/or VIII of its Charter, the United Nations should coordinate its peace and security initiatives with the regional organizations affected by the conflict and promote regional attempts at achieving a peaceful settlement, before resorting to military action.
