Paper/ The Vicious Circle of Fragmentation: The EU and the Limits of Its Approach to Libya by Jesutimilehin O. Akamo, Caterina Bedin and Dario Cristiani

Libya continues to test the strengths, limits and future of EU Foreign and Security. In this new JOINT Paper, Jesutimilehin O. Akamo (Institute for Peace and Security Studies – IPSS, Addis Ababa University), Caterina Bedin (Foundation for Strategic Research – FRS) and Dario Cristiani (Istituto Affari Internazionali – IAI) analyse how EU Foreign and Security policy towards Libya remains relegated to crisis response focus around migration and security, since the country has become a crucial arena for multipolar competition, with several global and regional powers involved.

Moreover, over the past 10 years, intra-EU division, especially the Italian-French divide, played a significant role in fostering Libya’s fragmentation.

The EU could use its Member States’ leverage and individual diplomatic assets to foster a common agenda. It also needs to understand its place and role in the Libyan case, developing a real strategic approach towards political, security, economic, and migration sectors.