The Birth of Libya

In the inaugural episode of this mini-series, we journey back to the early 20th century to witness the birth of a nation–Libya. It’s a tale of independence, monarchy, and the shaping of a country’s identity amid the waves of change sweeping through Africa and the Middle East.

We are joined by Hafed Al Ghwell, a respected voice on North African affairs and the Executive Director of the North Africa Initiative at the SAIS Foreign Policy Institute, to explore this pivotal period.

Topics covered include: 

BACKGROUND: Establishing the Kingdom of Libya under King Idris I, and the country's initial steps as a sovereign nation. The podcast explains how Libya's early years of independence were influenced by its interactions with other newly independent African and Middle Eastern countries and its role in the Non-Aligned Movement.

It examines Gaddafi's Pan-African and Pan-Arab ideologies, his support for liberation movements in the Global South, and the impact of his anti-imperialist stance on Libya's foreign relations.

ECONOMIC: The podcast delves into the impact of the discovery of oil and its transformative impact. It examines the effects of Libya's economic policies on other developing countries, especially in Africa, and its attempts to challenge global economic disparities.

LOCKERBIE BOMBING: Libya's international isolation following the Lockerbie bombing, the imposition of UN sanctions, and later attempts at diplomatic re-engagement. How sanctions impacted Libya and other developing nations, and Libya's diplomatic efforts within the African Union and the Arab League.

ARAB SPRING AND POST-GADDAFI: The uprising in Libya and the subsequent NATO intervention leading to the overthrow of Gaddafi. The podcast critically assesses the NATO intervention from the viewpoint of sovereignty and self-determination principles held by many countries in the Global South. It also examines Libya's current challenges within the broader context of regional stability in North Africa and the Middle East and the Global South's role in addressing post-conflict reconstruction and development issues.