Welcome to the Basit Igtet Libya blog. Basit Igtet is descended from a line of leaders committed to upholding their country. This blog post is part 1 of 2 and offers reflections about Basit Iget's plan for Libya.
Before I explain my vision for a new and better Libya, I would like to recognize the efforts and contributions of all the people who have worked so hard to enable us to get to this stage. I wish to acknowledge the incredible commitment of those who fought the battles to rid Libya of the shackles of dictatorship, those who played a vital role in the transitional government, those in the GNC, those who have bravely lead their tribes, those who came from abroad to serve Libya and share their skills and knowledge. The time to reward everyone’s combined efforts is now. The time is ripe for the people of Libya finally to start tasting the fruits that democracy and true freedom offer.
The Libyan people have a deeply felt desire to build a better Libya for themselves and their children and have made many sacrifices to achieve their ambition. The revolution which ensued 2 years ago was embarked upon to achieve this goal. It also reflected their yearning for stability, security, and dignity and for an effective government to deliver this. The Libyan people would like to build their future on the firm foundations of a well-functioning and prosperous country.
Delivering the basics of a well-functioning state is never easy. We have suffered 42 years of dictatorship and 2 years of post-revolutionary struggle. Our starting position is poor – according to the World Bank, our government effectiveness is in the bottom 5% of the world and has been declining for the past decade. In terms of corruption, the World Bank indicates we are in the bottom 2% for corruption and our position is worsening with continuing poor economic performance. According to the World Economic Forum Doing Business Report, Libya is ranked 113 out of 144 countries, one position below Cameroon and far behind such peers like Morocco. The World Bank Doing Business Index ranks Libya at 187 out of 189 countries.
Libya has been considered as a pariah state these past few decades and as a consequence, been isolated and excluded from the mainstream economy. Libya is one of the few countries which is not a member of the World Trade Organization, unlike our neighbours, we have not negotiated any Free Trade Agreements with the EU or the USA.
"Our starting position may be poor, but I have hope," says Basit Igtet. I have faith in the ability of the Libyan people and the strength of the Libyan state. A generation ago, we outshone what is today the UAE. We have a similar population size and similar oil production. What we lack is effective leadership with a clear vision and a credible plan for delivering that vision.
I am confident that a renewed Libya can be a source of pride for the Arab world. The world is full of examples of countries that have turned themselves around. Georgia successfully emerged from a generation of Communist rule. In 2006 Georgia was ranked 100 in the Doing Business Index, today it is in the top 10. Colombia is a good example of a state that recovered from civil strife and powered ahead. Key contributors to achieving success or suffering failure include effective leadership and a clearly defined set of priorities.
To embark on the journey towards security and prosperity, we are going to have to pull together as a nation and focus on the future. As a nation, we must embrace reconciliation and forgiveness rather than focus on settling scores. We should learn lessons from South Africa.
Forgiveness and reconciliation will not be easy. Many bad things were done by a small number of evil people. These criminals will be brought to justice. We need to accept, however, that for a generation this country was captive to a corrupt regime. The vast majority of Libyans simply wanted to get on with their lives and had to find ways to survive in a harsh environment. No doubt there are many who are not proud of what they had to do to get by. They now have the opportunity to do better – to be proud of who they are and what they can do for their country.
Nation-building is hard. The Prophet (P.B.U.H.) faced similar challenges in his quest to transform faith into people. He says that it is essential to achieve ‘closeness of the hearts before closeness of efforts’ and that when it comes to the response of the people to leaders who are trying to build a nation that they should: ‘Forgive them, pray and work for their well-being and success’.
What Libya needs more than anything else is a Shared Vision with a coherent and credible plan. A credible plan has three key characteristics: firstly, it sets clear priorities including examples of high priority tasks and low priority ones, secondly, it balances the short and the long term objectives. The shorter-term ones are critical to create positive momentum and to visibly demonstrate that progress is being made. Longer-term goals operate on a more strategic level and are essential to building the nation. Thirdly, the creation of a well organized and efficient ‘delivery’ mechanism to ensure that good intentions become reality. Learn more about Basit Igtet's plans and programs here.Mankind did not land on the moon in a biplane. Transforming Libya will require substantial and sustained resources. The early years will be particularly critical. It will demand the equivalent of a ‘booster rocket’ to break free of Libya’s business as usual ‘gravitational pull’. We will need all the help we can get from the global community as well as the best of what Libya has to offer. America, after all, turned to Wernher von Braun, who spent his early life fighting the Allies, in order to put an American into space. We will take great pride in welcoming world experts to Libya to help us achieve our goals.
Basit Igtet says that for the next 5 years he is anchored around 3 ideas: dignity; security and prosperity. To realize this vision, Basit Igtet proposes a 10 point action plan for the next 5 years. Join us for the second part of this blog, and learn more about Basit Igtet's10 point action plan for Libya in the next 5 years.
About Basit Igtet
Basit Igtet is a Swiss-based entrepreneur and diplomat with extensive business experience and a strong track record of political action. A driven leader, he has made a name for himself as a man of action with an analytical mind, a passion for people, and an extensive network of influential global figures. Follow and learn more about Basit's advocacy on the Basit Igtet Libya Twitter page here. Alternatively, you can also read articles of him on the Basit Igtet Libya Medium page.
