The Global Fragility Act in Libya: Laying the Groundwork for Disarmament, Demobilization, and Reintegration

Hybrid or non-state armed groups pose a thorny governance dilemma in Libya. As part of the Global Fragility Act (GFA), the U.S. Government’s 10-Year Strategic Plan for Libya recognizes these challenges by calling for the disarmament, demobilization, and reintegration (DDR) of armed actors. As the national political process continues to stall, there is a need to lay the groundwork for DDR in Libya by leveraging foreign assistance as a tool to address grievances that could push citizens to join armed actors and to increase citizen confidence in the state as a provider of security. 

To provide recommendations for policymakers and practitioners, IRI developed an issue brief based on a private roundtable discussion focused on creating a foundation for DDR in Libya. The event convened experts from the government, think tanks, international development organizations, and the Hill to discuss the GFA in Libya and what steps the U.S. government should take to reduce conflict and improve stability. This issue brief offers an overview of the roundtable discussion and a summary of the key policy challenges and recommendations.