The people who work for us on Libya got together last month. British Embassy and British Council. Brits and Libyans. The aim was to look at the partnership between different organisations and different people all working for the same goals.
To help us work together as a team, we had some open exchanges. The most interesting one was a discussion of what the word “Libya” meant for each one of us.
The Libyans had clear views. First and foremost their pride in the country: its people and practices; its history and heritage; its climate and countryside. They revealed a powerful attachment to their families and to the land.
They were all clear that they intended to stay in Libya, despite the current lack of security and stability. Their ambition for the future – for their careers, for their families and for the country – was very strong. They wanted to recapture the optimism of the revolution and turn Libya into a great place to live.
For the British staff the motivation was different. Many of us have never visited the country. For some, it was a constant source of both fascination and frustration. For others it represented a professional challenge: how to support the Libyan people to achieve the better future they so clearly deserved? Put another way, how can we help break down some of the prejudices that are a legacy of the past and work together for our common goals?
We sat together and talked about our priorities. The starting point was to respect the sovereignty, territorial integrity and unity of Libya; and the right of the Libyan people to decide their own future. Despite the rumours and conspiracy theories, these principles are fundamental to our approach.
Tackling terrorism was a common theme: a top priority for the Libyans who face a direct threat on a daily basis. This week’s horrific terrorist attack on a peaceful demonstration in Benghazi underlines the urgency of tackling ISIL and other terrorist groups. It is also a priority for the British staff who saw the impact of a Tunisian terrorist trained in Libya who killed 30 British citizens in Sousse this summer.
Another strong theme focused on the future of democracy in Libya. We were clear that the design and development of democracy must be based on Libya’s history, traditions and culture. There is no Western blueprint.
A key concept has to be the rule of law. Unfortunately Libya has seen the development of criminality because of the breakdown in respect for the law and the proper enforcement of the law. Citizens need confidence in the fairness of the system.
Confidence that you will not be attacked or kidnapped based on your regional or tribal affiliation. Confidence that you will get your passport when you complete a simple procedure rather than having to bribe an official. Confidence that your electricity won’t be cut off and that your rubbish will be cleared irrespective of where you live.
Of course the economy also loomed large. People expressed fears about the increasing price of the most basic foodstuffs, about the shortage of medicines and about how young people can develop the skills to enable them to find jobs in future.
We realised that there are no easy answers to any of these challenges. But as partners, our Libyan and British staff can work together to promote, protect and pursue our common interests. Because in most cases British and Libyan interests co-incide: to create a more stable and prosperous Libya where people can live and work together in confidence.
Dialogue and mutual understanding are the vital ingredients in any partnership. We have taken a positive step forward to make partnership our way of working.