Eastern Libyan Marshal Khalifa Haftar has intensified his push for diplomatic legitimacy on the international stage, notably by declining to host a European Union delegation in Benghazi.
This move signals his camp’s insistence on being recognized as a full diplomatic actor, despite its status as an unrecognized government.
On July 8, following a visit to Tripoli where they met with Abdelhamid Dbeibah’s Government of National Unity (GNU), European ministers from Greece, Italy, and Malta, along with an EU commissioner, were denied entry upon their arrival in eastern Libya. Osama Hamad’s parallel administration, which is supported by Haftar, denounced this as a “violation of diplomatic practice,” directly challenging Brussels’ exclusive recognition of the GNU. According to analyst Tarek Megerisi of the ECFR, this rejection is a strategic maneuver aimed at reaffirming eastern Libya’s crucial role, particularly concerning the escalating migration crisis. As migrant departures towards Crete increase, Haftar appears to be leveraging this issue to position himself as Europe’s preferred interlocutor.
Expert Jalel Harchaoui interprets the refusal as a targeted response against Athens. He suggests that just days prior to the incident, Greece reportedly demanded concessions from Haftar’s side without offering sufficient guarantees, provoking anger in Benghazi.
This episode further highlights the growing international ambitions of the Haftar family. The field marshal himself has recently held meetings with both Emmanuel Macron and Vladimir Putin. Furthermore, his son, Saddam Haftar, has been undertaking numerous trips to countries including Turkey, Italy, Niger, and the United States, actively working to forge alliances and attract investment. Even Ankara, which sided with Tripoli during the civil war, now appears open to dialogue with eastern Libya, especially in light of energy considerations in the eastern Mediterranean.
MK/te/Sf/fss/abj/APA