Libya’s Abnormal New Normal

Libya’s Abnormal New Normal

Author: Arezki Daoud May 24, 2024 Duration: 10:34

Since 2011, Libya has been engulfed in a bloody civil war after the death of Muammar Gaddafi. Over the years, it was easy to identify the problem:  too many foreign regional players and global powers meddling in Libya’s affairs, explicitly or implicitly seeking to impose their vision on what Libya ought to be through local proxies. These foreign meddlers had no shortage of proxies within Libya. One of them is the so-called internationally recognized Government of National Unity based in Tripoli in the northwest of the country, headed by Prime Minister Abdulhamid Dbeibeh. And then in Sirte is the rival entity called the Government of National Stability led by Osama Hamada. The latter is supported by the House of Representatives and the Libyan National Army, both essentially representing eastern Libya. Although from an optic perspective he was appointed by the Libyan House of Representatives as commander of the Tobruk-based Libyan National Army, self-proclaimed Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar is the man who calls the shots in eastern Libya and beyond.  He is the man who many foreign parties like to talk to, despite the existence of two competing Prime Ministers and two legislative bodies.


Trying to make sense of the world's complex power struggles and regional conflicts can feel overwhelming. Geopolitics Simplified by Arezki Daoud cuts through that noise with clear, accessible commentary. Host Arezki Daoud, drawing from his professional background with MEA Risk LLC, focuses his lens primarily on the intricate dynamics of Africa and the Middle East, regions often at the heart of global shifts but frequently misunderstood. Each episode breaks down a current event or a longer-term strategic development, explaining not just what is happening, but the historical roots and potential consequences behind the headlines. You'll hear a straightforward analysis that avoids academic jargon, designed for anyone curious about how international relations affect economics, security, and daily life in different corners of the planet. This isn't about dry recitations of facts; it's about connecting dots in a way that provides genuine understanding. The podcast delivers these insights with a consistent and informed perspective, making even the most tangled geopolitical situations comprehensible. For regular listeners, this becomes an essential tool for forming a more nuanced view of global news, moving beyond simplistic narratives to grasp the underlying forces shaping our interconnected world.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 59

Geopolitics Simplified by Arezki Daoud
Podcast Episodes
Can foreign and regional powers give Libya a break? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 3:10
Foreign meddling may have been even more troubling than any other source of instability. Governments in Russia, the UAE, France, Turkey, etc.. have been central in preventing the Libyans from negotiating a future that wo…
North Africa and the Sahel week-in-review | 20 May 2023 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 19:22
Welcome to this episode of North Africa and the Sahel week-in-review, for the period ending Saturday, 20th of May. Today is the 22nd of May and greetings to all. So the week in the northern half of Africa ended with a lo…
A world turned on its head: Egypt's loyalty to the US in question [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 7:02
In Egypt, a country that gets substantial military and economic aid from the United States, General Abdelfattah el-Sissi has allegedly ordered the manufacture of 40,000 rockets for the benefit of Russia, in the midst of…
Mali’s painful post-colonial transition. [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 11:39
The nation of Mali in the Sahel is headed toward an even more painful period. Bad governance, catastrophic environment, deadly terrorism, and a war between the west and Russia starting on its territory are conspiring to…
Instability and Coups in Sahel Nations [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 4:52
In this brief episode, Arezki Daoud reports on the latest attempts to topple regimes in the Sahel and that more of there are expected.
Sahel and North Africa week in review 7 Jan 2023 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 24:14
Greetings to our second episode of Week in Review and a quick summary of what we are tracking in the Sahel and in North Africa. Today is Saturday, the 7th of January 2023. This past week was somewhat subdued in the regio…