Egypt’s Role in the Libyan Civil War

Abstract

The Libyan crisis has been going on for almost a decade, during which period many stabilisation attempts have  failed. As a result, we can currently witness the third phase  of the Libyan civil war. The conflict threatens regional  stability, moreover it is a major threat to Egypt, because the  two countries share a nearly 1200 km long border, and  it is not neutral to Cairo how much influence Islamist actors  (might) gain throughout the region, nor is the fate  of tribal alliances and the functioning of the central Libyan  government. 
Like Libya, Egypt was also involved in the transformations triggered by the Arab Spring since 2011, but could overcome the domestic crisis caused by the political transition as the political reorganisation stabilised the country. The Libyan situation poses a major threat to Egyptian security, but it is also an opportunity, because by participating in the settlement Egypt can strengthen its regional influence, deepen its foreign relations and advance both its foreign and domestic political interests as well. This study examines how the events in Egypt affected the Libyan transformation after 2011, and how political changes in Egypt changed Cairo’s participation in the three phases of the Libyan civil war.