One year after devastating floods in eastern Libya claimed the lives of thousands and destroyed entire neighborhoods, reconstruction efforts are underway. However, experts warn that this process is being used by Khalifa Haftar, a powerful military figure, to further solidify his power in the already divided country.
The tragedy unfolded on September 10, 2023, when Hurricane-strength Storm Daniel unleashed extreme rainfall, causing two dams in the coastal city of Derna to burst. This unleashed a torrent of water that killed nearly 4,000 people, left thousands missing, and displaced over 40,000 others, according to the United Nations. The disaster exposed the fragility of Libya’s infrastructure and the dysfunction among its divided leadership, sparking widespread anger and demands for accountability.
Libya is still grappling with the aftermath of the armed conflict and political chaos that erupted following the 2011 NATO-backed uprising that toppled dictator Muammar Gaddafi. The country remains divided between an internationally recognized government in Tripoli, led by interim Prime Minister Abdulhamid Dbeibah, and a rival administration in the east backed by Haftar.
Derna, once home to approximately 120,000 residents, has been transformed into a massive construction site. Homes, schools, roads, and bridges are being rebuilt, but the massive reconstruction effort is proceeding without any oversight from the authorities in Tripoli. This lack of oversight has raised concerns about the potential for corruption and misuse of funds.
In February, Aguila Saleh, the speaker of the eastern administration’s parliament, announced the creation of a reconstruction fund headed by Belgacem Haftar, one of the strongman’s six sons. By doing so, parliament granted Haftar a “financial carte blanche” worth 10 billion dinars ($2.1 billion), according to Libya analyst Anas El Gomati, who heads the Sadeq Institute think-tank. Gomati describes the situation as a “blank cheque with zero oversight.”
Gomati argues that reconstruction should be supervised by UN agencies and locally elected officials who would prioritize needs, merit, and anti-corruption measures. Instead, the process is being managed by “an impenetrable institution where billions vanish,” he says. “The Haftars are not rebuilding Derna, they are building their political launch pads,” Gomati asserts. “Every brick laid in Derna is a stepping stone in their succession plan,” he adds, referencing Haftar’s children.
Belgacem Haftar, the figurehead of Derna’s reconstruction, holds no military role, unlike his brothers Saddam and Khaled. Jalel Harchaoui, a Libya expert at the Royal United Services Institute, suggests that Belgacem could leverage his position to “establish political standing at the national and international level.” Harchaoui believes that the Haftars, as a whole, could use their political influence to demonstrate the UN-recognized government in Tripoli as “ineffective and superfluous.”
During a visit to southern Libya, Belgacem Haftar declared that 70 percent of reconstruction projects in Derna had been completed. He claimed that 3,500 homes have been rebuilt, while maintenance work has been undertaken on the city’s power grid and schools. Despite these claims, there are concerns about the true scope and effectiveness of the reconstruction efforts.
Authorities have also made some progress in judicial cases against those responsible for the disaster. In late July, 12 unnamed civil servants were sentenced to prison terms ranging from nine to 27 years for their roles in managing the collapsed dams. However, high-ranking officials, including the mayor of Derna, who happens to be a nephew of Saleh, were not investigated. The mayor’s house was set ablaze after the flooding amidst angry protests by residents demanding accountability from the eastern-based authorities.
Families of the flood victims have also disputed the death toll announced by officials in the east. While authorities claim around 3,800 people perished in the floods – based on the number of bodies buried – families believe that many more died. Gomati suggests that a death toll of “14,000 to 24,000” is more plausible. He cites the collection of “10,000 DNA samples from people still searching for their loved ones” as evidence. Gomati alleges that the authorities in the east have been “minimising the death toll (in order to) minimise their culpability.”
The tragedy in Derna highlights the complex challenges facing Libya as it attempts to rebuild after years of conflict and political instability. The reconstruction effort, intended to provide relief and a path forward, is instead being manipulated to advance the political ambitions of a powerful figure, further exacerbating the country’s political divisions and raising concerns about transparency and accountability.
