Morocco has recently accelerated its rapprochement with Khalifa Haftar's camp in eastern Libya, amid regional rivalries and a reconfiguration of power dynamics following the Libyan marshal's succession. This development is part of a tripartite coordination between Rabat, Abu Dhabi, and Israel, whose interests converge around Haftar's camp. On October 11-15, Khaled Haftar, chief of staff of the Libyan Eastern Forces, paid an official visit to Morocco, where he was received by the Inspector General of the Royal Moroccan Armed Forces and visited military installations and an airbase.
The visit was followed by a high-level security meeting in Benghazi on October 22, co-chaired by the Moroccan DGED director-general and the Libyan intelligence chief. The presence of Saddam Haftar at the meeting underscores the political dimension of this encounter, which went beyond its official agenda of tackling terrorism and organized crime. The UAE has historically supported Haftar's forces, and its backing has gained significance in the current succession stakes. Saddam Haftar is seeking to expand his international relations, while his brothers have their own military and political networks, particularly with Egypt, the other major supporter of the Eastern camp.
The family dynamics within the Haftar camp offer foreign powers multiple channels of influence over Libya's future. Saddam Haftar's visit to Cairo on October 25-26 took place after the Libyan Eastern Parliament ratified a 2019 maritime agreement with Turkey, which Egypt contests. The visit appears to be an effort to preserve relations with Cairo despite this disagreement and the marginalization of Aguila Saleh, a close Egyptian ally. Egypt may also rely on Khaled and Belgacem Haftar to counterbalance Saddam's autonomy and influence.
The Israeli dimension of this development warrants attention. On September 29, international media reported a meeting between Benjamin Netanyahu and Saddam Haftar in Abu Dhabi. The UAE has historically supported Haftar's forces, while Israel has been developing contacts with certain members of the Haftar family. Morocco, bound to Israel by the 2020 normalization agreements and a strategic partner of the UAE, is strengthening its military and security ties with the Libyan Eastern Command.
This convergence of interests brings Rabat, Abu Dhabi, and Tel Aviv closer together around Benghazi, fostering a political and security cooperation with regional implications. The Libyan Eastern region occupies a strategic position between the Mediterranean, Egypt, the Sahel, and the routes connecting Libya to Sudan. Control of its military infrastructure and logistical corridors is a matter of interest for several regional powers.
For Rabat, the rapprochement with Benghazi offers direct access to an important military power center and takes place in a context of rivalry with Algeria and diplomatic competition over Libya's future. As Libya's institutional fragmentation persists, this reconfiguration occurs while Algeria is strengthening its security presence in the Sahel to protect its southern borders, energy interests, and contain transborder threats.
The implications of this development for Algeria are significant. The deployment of Algerian troops to Niger marks a major evolution in Algeria's security setup in the region. However, the modalities of this operation and its potential implications for the region remain to be determined. Morocco's partnership with the UAE and Israel in Libya, and the control of strategic areas by Haftar's forces, give Rabat a regional role in the complex dynamics surrounding Libya's future.
Key points
- Morocco's growing ties with Khalifa Haftar's camp in Libya are part of a tripartite coordination with the UAE and Israel.
- The development has significant implications for Algeria, which is strengthening its security presence in the Sahel.
- The Libyan Eastern region occupies a strategic position, making control of its infrastructure and corridors a matter of interest for several regional powers.
