The American newspaper IntPolicyDigest reported on Monday that Colonel Muammar Gaddafi once issued a stark warning in a moment of global criticism, saying: “The dominant powers today are in the hands of those with economic strength, which instills fear in others. They can starve you. They can shut down your raw material exports like gas and oil.”
His words, which targeted global inequalities, resonate today in Libya, where wealth and arms are deeply intertwined.
The newspaper confirmed that oil fields themselves are contested, with both the Government of National Unity and the Libyan National Army competing for control. This has led to repeated shutdowns of stations and pipelines — costly disruptions that deprive the state of revenue and deepen Libya’s financial troubles. Despite the emergence of new entities and institutions, the country’s reliance on oil continues to have negative consequences, as its economy remains critically lacking in diversification.
According to the paper, Libyan oil is no longer merely an economic lifeline, but has become a political dividing line. Competing claims over oil revenues have exacerbated rivalries and prolonged instability. Gaddafi once declared: “Libya lived 5,000 years without oil, and it is ready to live another 5,000 years without it.” Today, that statement sounds more like a troubling warning, as a country rich in oil cannot achieve stability without political cohesion, nor can it rely on its black gold to ensure national security.
The paper went on to state that Libya’s current economic indicators reveal a state of deep stagnation, with an unemployment rate around 18.74%, negatively impacting the youth. Inflation has eroded the purchasing power of the Libyan dinar, while years of civil war have displaced hundreds of thousands, destroyed hospitals, shut down schools, and devastated infrastructure. In many areas, access to clean water, electricity, and basic food production remains unreliable, especially in the regions most affected by conflict.
According to the newspaper, thirteen years after Gaddafi’s fall, Libya finds itself trapped between the ghosts of its past and the uncertainty of its future.
