Washington Brings Together Delegations from Tripoli and Benghazi as Part of Its Plan for Libya

A detailed timeline for the plan includes the establishment of the unified executive branch and the Consultative Council this coming October; a vote of confidence in the government and the ratification of sovereign and high-level appointments in December; and the election of a transitional parliament in 2028.

According to Libyan and Italian reports, a timeline has been drawn up for the events planned under the U.S. plan, including the establishment of the Unified Executive Authority and the Consultative Council in the city of Sirte on October 30, 2026, a vote of confidence in the government and the ratification of sovereign and high-level appointments on December 24, 2026, with a transitional parliament scheduled to be elected on July 30, 2028, pursuant to Law No. 10 of 2014, which establishes a constitutional drafting committee.

According to the timeline, a referendum will be held in 2030 on a modern constitutional framework based on a democratic and pluralistic party system, establishing a civil state founded on human rights, a free-market economy, and a far-reaching decentralized administrative system, while parliamentary and presidential elections based on a pluralistic political system will be held in 2032.

The Italian newspaper “Il Foglio” reported that U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio will meet with representatives from western and eastern Libya on June 29 to discuss an agreement on the country’s reunification. For his part, Masad Boulos, advisor to U.S. President Donald Trump on Arab and African affairs, is continuing his outreach to Tripoli, Benghazi, and Cairo to facilitate rapprochement between the parties in the power struggle in the country.

“Despite differences in viewpoints and priorities, structured dialogue has shown that constructive dialogue across political, geographic, generational, and institutional divides remains, to a large extent, possible.”

Likewise, Major General Abdulsalam Al-Zubi, Deputy Minister of Defense of the Government of National Unity, and Major General Sadam Haftar, Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces in the east of the country, hold a series of talks in Washington to discuss the reunification of the Armed Forces, as a preliminary step to talks with U.S. officials on the reunification of Libyan military and security institutions, although the U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) will be responsible for coordinating a joint meeting between the delegations from Tripoli and Benghazi to analyze the process of unifying military and security structures.

Well-informed sources indicated that the delegation from the Armed Forces General Staff would consist of Abdulrahman Al-Abbar, Al-Shibani Abu Hamoud, Adam Buskhara, and Zayed Hadiya, while the delegation from the Government of National Unity would be composed of Walid Al-Lafi, Mustafa Al-Mana, Ali Abdulaziz, and Abduljalil Al-Shawish.

In the U.S. capital, Washington, Al-Zubi discussed with the U.S. President’s senior advisor for Arab and Middle Eastern Affairs, Musad Pauls, and with the deputy commander of U.S. Africa Command, Major General John W. Brennan, mechanisms to support efforts to unify the Libyan military and strengthen military and security cooperation between the two countries.

The “Our Government” platform reported that the meeting, held at the U.S. State Department headquarters at the start of Al-Zubi’s official visit to Washington, addressed ways to strengthen the strategic partnership between Libya and the United States in the military and security spheres, as well as analyzing training and capacity-building programs and improving coordination in the fight against terrorism, border security, and the response to cross-border threats. Both sides emphasized the importance of maintaining coordination and consultation between the military and security institutions of both countries, with the aim of supporting the creation of professional and unified military and security institutions, and strengthening the Libyan state’s capacity to protect its sovereignty and consolidate security and stability.

Regional capitals are currently the scene of a broad debate on the U.S. plan to resolve the Libyan crisis, especially following the tour that took Sadam Haftar to Paris, Athens, and Islamabad, and the visit by the head of Egypt’s General Intelligence Services, Major General Hassan Rashad, and the head of Turkey’s intelligence services, Ibrahim Kalın, to Benghazi and Tripoli to meet with senior officials from the east and west of the country, as well as to coordinate regional and international positions influencing the Libyan issue.

Observers believe that this intense diplomatic activity aims to unify efforts to overcome the obstacles that certain parties are attempting to place in the way of the U.S. plan, including the president of the Presidential Council, Mohamed al-Manfi, who refuses to step down in favor of General Sadam Haftar, and the leader of the Ifta faction in western Libya, Al-Sadiq al-Ghariani, known for his fierce hostility toward Marshal Haftar, his sons, and his forces, as well as for his adherence to a radical ideology that seeks to establish a totalitarian theocratic state.

Meanwhile, Musad Boulos continues to work to bring the Libyan parties closer together so that his initiative—which enjoys strong support from President Donald Trump and several European capitals—will be a success.

According to Italian media reports, the first point of the plan concerns the electoral framework, which calls for the adoption of a unified and legally binding electoral framework to hold presidential and parliamentary elections simultaneously, thereby eliminating the possibility of appointing leaders “from above.” This also includes reforming the High National Electoral Authority and ensuring its full financial independence, as well as updating legislation based on the work of the 6+6 Joint Commission, composed of the High National Electoral Authority and the Chamber of Deputies.

As for the second point, it concerns the unity government, which provides for the formation of an inclusive transitional government tasked with preparing the country for elections. It will be led by technocratic experts and will be based on consensus between the Chamber of Deputies and the Superior Council of State, rather than on a family quota system.

The holding of a referendum in 2030 on a constitutional framework based on a pluralistic democratic system, establishing a civilian state founded on human rights, a free-market economy, and a decentralized administrative system

The third point of the plan concerns the structured dialogue that has begun in Tripoli and aims to involve all sectors of Libyan society in the political process. This includes developing a common vision for the future structure of the state, the transparent distribution of oil revenues through independent oversight bodies, the institutional unification of the military, and the withdrawal of foreign forces from the country, as well as the launch of transitional justice processes and the protection of human rights.

The “Financial Times” cited well-informed sources stating that the U.S. proposal for a solution includes political agreements covering the restructuring of the executive branch, and added that the U.S. attempt to broker a power-sharing agreement between the rival administrations in eastern and western Libya comes “as part of an effort to reunify this oil-rich country after years of fruitless efforts led by the United Nations.”

The website “Bawabat Al-Wasat” cited sources close to the U.S. envoy’s team indicating that the plan has been set out in a document presenting a “draft framework for restoring a unified national government in Libya,” and that it will seek to secure local, regional, and international support so that the signing can take place in Washington, under the auspices of the White House, no later than September 30, 2026.

As for the basis and legal framework on which the document rests, it involves the “2+2” commission, sponsored by the U.S. Embassy in Libya, and the approval of the “4+4” commission, facilitated by the United Nations Mission, Furthermore, it will be based on the results of the structured dialogue to resolve outstanding issues, as well as on United Nations-led efforts, including the Unified Development Agreement, along with operational military agreements.

On June 7, members of the four tracks of the structured dialogue presented summaries of their work, and the Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General, Hanna Titeh, highlighted the main lessons learned from the process, noting that she had perceived a strong desire for change, accompanied by a firm determination that such change be led and owned by the Libyans themselves. “We have witnessed serious attempts to reconcile the ambitious goals pursued by Libyans with the practical realities they face, as well as the search for realistic common ground that allows for further progress. This has often led to the adoption of a phased sequence and incremental approaches aimed at achieving realistic and viable progress,”

The structured dialogue was an unprecedented experience in terms of its scale and scope, as it brought together more than 120 members—men and women—from various regions of eastern, western, and southern Libya, including representatives of different cultural groups, youth, and people with disabilities, while women accounted for 35% of the total membership. To ensure the participation of a greater number of Libyans—both men and women—in the process, the Mission gathered the views of more than 10,400 people on the topics under discussion through surveys and various participatory mechanisms. In addition, a women’s group was established to advocate for issues of priority to them, and a digital platform was launched that brought together more than 3,200 members to foster dialogue and participation among Libyan youth.

“Despite differences in viewpoints and priorities, the structured dialogue has demonstrated that constructive dialogue across political, geographic, generational, and institutional divides remains, to a large extent, possible,” Titih stated, noting that “the next phase of the political process in Libya will continue to be based on efforts led by Libyans themselves. It will be used to advance the implementation of the recommendations and fundamental reforms that have emerged from the structured dialogue, whether by the institutions currently in operation or in the post-election phase.”