Economics professor at the University of Benghazi Ali Al-Sharif wrote an article.
The delay in reaching a comprehensive political solution in Libya is no longer affecting the political sphere alone; it has become a major factor exacerbating the country’s economic, social, and security conditions. The division of state institutions has created an environment conducive to corruption and the waste of public funds amid weak oversight and accountability. It has also contributed to the loss of some oil revenues, rising public spending and public debt, and the expansion of goods and fuel smuggling, which drains state resources.
The consequences of this situation have not been limited to financial and economic indicators but have also extended to essential sectors that directly affect citizens’ lives. Healthcare services have deteriorated amid the absence of an effective health insurance system. The education sector has also suffered from repeated disruptions, negatively affecting the quality of education and its outcomes. Meanwhile, Libya has fallen behind in several international indicators related to development, services, and quality of life.
On the security and social fronts, the growing phenomenon of irregular migration has placed increasing pressure on the state and its institutions. Addressing this issue is now linked not only to security concerns but also to potential demographic changes and reports of cases of forgery or irregularities in certain civil registry data and records. These issues require a precise and decisive institutional response.
However, the most serious consequence of these imbalances is their impact on citizens’ living standards and purchasing power, amid continued increases in the prices of essential goods, including flour and bread. For citizens, bread represents the last line of defense in their ability to secure their basic needs.
National responsibility therefore demands reaching a fundamental and swift solution, one whose primary objective is to serve the interests of the Libyan people rather than specific parties or vested interests.
This requires rebuilding state institutions on a unified foundation and appointing leaders and qualified personnel according to standards of competence, capability, and integrity, free from political loyalties and favoritism. This must go hand in hand with establishing a strict and effective system of oversight and accountability.
It also requires a responsible government capable of managing public resources efficiently, controlling expenditure, protecting revenues, combating corruption and smuggling, and directing resources toward sectors that directly affect citizens’ lives. These measures should improve economic conditions, raise income levels, and enhance public services.
Citizens are the true purpose of any economic policy. The success of economic reform cannot be measured by the volume of spending or the number of decisions made, but rather by the extent to which it improves people’s lives through higher real incomes, greater purchasing power, better essential services, and a more stable economic and security environment.
