30th January 2017 Tripoli, Libya
Geography Rules the World
“Location, location, location” is a favourite slogan of estate agents. If you’re buying a house or a flat, the location is crucial. Is it close to shops, transport, schools? Is it quiet and peaceful? And who are the neighbours?
Location is equally important in international politics. Geography defines the nation. If there are mountains, invasion is harder. If there is water and natural resources, navigable rivers and sea harbours, trade will be easier. If the climate is clement and the farmland is fertile, agriculture will thrive.
The neighbourhood is also important. Shared frontiers mean shared history. Countries can be friends and partners, or they can be rivals.
Europe is a good example. The frontiers of the nations of Europe are mainly formed by natural boundaries: mountain ranges and rivers. The tribes that invaded from the east hundreds of years ago settled in places where they could grow their crops, engage in trade and defend themselves.
The industrial revolution was also rooted in geography. Many parts of the United Kingdom had coal and plenty of water to power mills. Proximity to ports gave access to imported iron and cotton. Those ports also allowed manufacturers to break out of the domestic market and export.
Colonial expansion was also a product of the countries located by the sea: Spain, Portugal, Britain, France and the Netherlands had sea ports and trees to build ships. They needed foreign markets to expand, so explored and established new countries.
What does geography mean for a country like Libya? As with many countries in Africa, Libya’s borders were drawn by colonial ambition. It was geography that dictated the way people live. The main towns are on the coast with access to the sea. Agriculture is limited to those areas that enjoy the scarce water resources. Large areas of desert are virtually unpopulated.
The three regions are geographically different. Tripolitania traded to the north so had closer ties with Europe. Cyrenaica’s trade links looked east. And Fezzan’s tribal and trade links were with the south. These traditional distinctions remain part of modern Libya’s political make-up.
The other geographical factor is oil. The presence of large hydrocarbon deposits is an accident of location. It represents a massive benefit for the country and offers the prospect of wealth in the future, if properly managed for the good of the nation.
Is Libya a prisoner of its geography? As in most other countries, geographical factors create realities that leaders cannot ignore. Differences between regions are part of the pressures and tensions that they face.
But Libya can overcome these differences. As in other countries where geography divides, people can come together to build a better future. It is important for Libyans to take the hand that the country been dealt and make the best of it.
Geography has been good to Libya, not just the oil and gas, but the historical sites, beautiful coastline and mountains and links with friendly neighbours. Libyans can exploit these factors for the future by focussing on what brings people together, to develop these natural gifts for the benefit of all Libyans.
Geography can also be overcome by building a common Libyan identity. Libyans have a common language and religion and, crucially, common values. There are also common enemies: the scourge of terrorism, the risk of economic meltdown and the threat of political division and renewed civil war.
Understanding a country is a complex task. We have to understand the history, the culture and the economy. Geography is vital factor: it sets a country’s destiny: designs its history, dictates its economy and drives its policies.
But countries do not need to be prisoners of their history. Location might be unavoidable; but unity can be built around a common future.
Your Excellency
The UK’s Ambassador to Libya; Peter. Millet
Surely, geographical, historical and cultural factors that formed the modern Libya is precisely what now could re-define the post-Quddafi Libya ___ of course ”with no disregard to the 18-years Senussi monarchy” legacy. – Unfortunately, many great numbers of Libyans are oblivious to these facts. ______ The “human-frontier” in Libya is one of the most culturally-distinct of all the Arab world – we have the actual Arab tribe descendants in Cyrenaica namely “Bni Saleem” and “Bni Helal”. While Maghrabis in “Tripolitania” mostly of non-Arab origins, whether Amazighs, Euro-Mediterranean origins or even far from the Phoenician and Roman conquest eras.
__”Fezzan” is too of no exception from this diverse cultural make-up – the afro-decedents Tuaregs and Tebus lived alongside with Arabs and the recently settled the “Ahaly” or “Fezzazina” ___ However, this historical FACT with its all disparities survived for so long time through a designed set up from the colonial eras down to the “Senussi Monarchy” and Quddafi’s 42-years rule.
However, it unfair now to disregard the role-played by the UN and major corporate companies namely BP in re-unifying and forming the modern Libya in post world-war 2. ______ The International Community have made the utmost effort to integrate the fractured country and helped Libya to re-birth as an independent modern country ___
Anyway, the Libyan mind-set and cultural inherents remain “Deeply” disillusioned by the constant collective panoptical viewing from the outside point of view —- in plain words “Libya due to its extreme internal isolation and disparity” makes it awfully hard task to melt-down onto a one sole entity, especially with the each province is autonomously “culturally, politically” independent _____
What is now to be highly appreciated and valued is to receive from the International Community and Libyan stakeholders to work hard NOT only for the priorities “security, economy, reconciliation, defeating terror”. BUT also finding a common grounds, invoking future interests and bonds for all Libyans.
Jamal Adel.
A great read, your Excellency.
I think you will be interested in an intriguing research report titled “A Proposed Framework to Ending the Conflict in Libya” published in Dec.2016, from the Libyan Organization of Policies & Strategies (LOOPS) that shows great insight discussing the roots of the conflict in Libya, and the history of the deeper demographic and geographic issues. via the link: https://goo.gl/v1p4QJ
You hit the main point. Geographical and historicaly there are many differences between #Cyrenaica and #Tripolitania that is why we see this civil war in this artificial country. Cyrenaicans need their second independence and I think they will get sooner or later. Libya splitte in two parts now in everything and we all know that. Let’s end this mystery and every part takes care of its own businesses.
#Cyrenaica is not Libya. That’s the truth.
Thank you for allowing me to write here.
Khalid Emshadi
“We have to understand the history, the culture and the economy. Geography is vital factor: it sets a country’s destiny: designs its history, dictates its economy and drives its policies.” spot on!
Right on Ambassador, this should be in the minds of all those involved in forming our future, we need an observer from the outside to remind us how lucky we are, but time is not our side. This piece should be circulated in our schools and universities.
You hit the nail on the head ,your Excellency…. the people of Libya must understand this and strongly believe in the existence of such differences and versatility and address them with all seriousness, specially the ones who are leading indeed Libya is prisoner of its geography, culture, religion and above all to its people inability to recognize these issues and deal with them before it is too late …thank you for bring about this subject … God bless us all
Excellent blog post and a fascinating read. Thank you for everything that you do!