Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar, commander of the Libyan National Army, arrives at a meeting for talks over a political deal to help end Libya’s crisis in La Celle-Saint-Cloud near Paris on July 25, 2017. Philippe Wojazer / Reuters
Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar, commander of the Libyan National Army, arrives at a meeting for talks over a political deal to help end Libya’s crisis in La Celle-Saint-Cloud near Paris on July 25, 2017Show more

The rise and rise again of Libya's Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar



A glance at the map shows why outside powers are taking Libya's Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar seriously. 
 
After three years of civil war, the commander's Libyan National Army holds more than two thirds of the country, and the bulk of its oil infrastructure.
 
That perhaps explains the smiles from France's president Emmanuel Macron on July 25 when the field marshal agreed in Paris on an embryonic Libya peace deal with Fayez Al Sarraj, head of Libya's UN-backed Government of National Accord.
 
Field Marshall Haftar's consent does not mean the agreement, named the Joint Declaration, will work, but his rejection would certainly have doomed it to failure.
 
His arrival in Paris as the person to whom negotiators had to listen represented a personal triumph for the 73-year-old commander, who has been involved in Libyan politics for four decades.
 
In 1969, he was one of a group of army officers who supported Muammar Qaddafi's seizure of power from former King Idris.
 
Qaddafi later placed him in charge of troops invading neighbouring Chad in the 1980s. When the operation was defeated by French-backed Chadian forces, Qaddafi denied the presence of troops in Chad. Field Marshal Haftar then turned against Qaddafi, later moving to the US to support opposition groups.
 
In 2011, he returned to Libya to command some of the forces that, backed by Nato-led air power, toppled and killed Qaddafi.
 
If the Libyan revolution had been followed by transition to civilian rule, the field marshal might have slipped into graceful retirement. However, militias formed during the revolution remained after the fighting ended, becoming political players in their own right. Some of these militias included militants, among them Ansar Al Sharia, which Washington has accused of killing its Libya ambassador, Chris Stevens, in Benghazi in 2012.
 
In February 2014, Field Marshal Haftar broadcast a televised appeal for the overthrow of the transitional parliament, the General National Congress, accusing it of corruption and failing to disband the militias.
 
His appeal failed to see an uprising against the transitional parliament, but it won him support among Libyans fed-up with militia anarchy.
 
In May 2014, the field marshal launched Operation Dignity, aimed at pushing militant groups — including Ansar Al Sharia — out of Benghazi. His growing support saw the House of Representatives parliament, which replaced the GNC in elections in June 2014, appoint him its army commander in March 2015.
 
In September 2016, the Libyan National Army captured four key central oil ports from a militia, the Petroleum Facilities Guard, giving the parliament control of the so-called Oil Crescent, centre of the country's production. A grateful parliament, based in the eastern town of Tobruk, then promoted Haftar to his field marshal rank.
 
Earlier this year, having secured most of eastern Libya, the Libyan National Army pushed west, seizing airbases in south-west and central parts of the country. On July 3, after three years of fighting, it overran the last militant enclaves in Benghazi.
 
The Libyan National Army's victories have come in part because it is better trained and organised than the militias, who often fight each other. It also has Libyan Air Force, whose air strikes have proved to be the trump card in recent battles. 
 
Part of the army's success is also because of Field Marshal Haftar's blunt message.
 
In a country dominated by dozens of factions who make and break alliances with bewildering speed, Field Marshal Haftar has a reputation for sticking to the same uncompromising demand, which is for militias to disband. That consistency has won him supporters, who praise his commitment to bringing order to a chaotic country. It has also made him enemies among militia leaders and critics who accuse him of authoritarianism.
 
Following the capture of Benghazi, Field Marshal Haftar announced his intention to move on to Tripoli and rid the capital of militias, expressing the hope that this would happen peacefully with public support.
 
Diplomats fear such an offensive might see bloody fighting. That concern has provided impetus for a peace process begun in May when the UAE, with Egyptian support, invited Field Marshall Haftar and Mr Al Sarraj to meet in Abu Dhabi.
 
Those talks laid the basis for the July 25 Joint Declaration, an agreement by both Libyan leaders for a ceasefire, unity government and elections.
 
However, there are questions about whether Mr Al Sarraj can deliver on a key part of the agreement, which calls for Tripoli militias to dissolve.
 
Mr Al Sarraj's Government of National Accord was installed with UN support in Tripoli in March last year but has failed to win public backing, while also being rejected by both the parliament and Field Marshal Haftar. The Government of National Accord relies for security on the same Tripoli militias the Paris Declaration says must now dissolve, and so far none have done so. 
 
Days after the Paris meeting Field Marshal Haftar said that "extremists" will continue to be battled by the Libyan National Army.

House-hunting

Top 10 locations for inquiries from US house hunters, according to Rightmove

  1. Edinburgh, Scotland 
  2. Westminster, London 
  3. Camden, London 
  4. Glasgow, Scotland 
  5. Islington, London 
  6. Kensington and Chelsea, London 
  7. Highlands, Scotland 
  8. Argyll and Bute, Scotland 
  9. Fife, Scotland 
  10. Tower Hamlets, London 

 

MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE – FINAL RECKONING

Director: Christopher McQuarrie

Starring: Tom Cruise, Hayley Atwell, Simon Pegg

Rating: 4/5

Our family matters legal consultant

Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais

Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.

The advice provided in our columns does not constitute legal advice and is provided for information only. Readers are encouraged to seek independent legal advice. 

Nepotism is the name of the game

Salman Khan’s father, Salim Khan, is one of Bollywood’s most legendary screenwriters. Through his partnership with co-writer Javed Akhtar, Salim is credited with having paved the path for the Indian film industry’s blockbuster format in the 1970s. Something his son now rules the roost of. More importantly, the Salim-Javed duo also created the persona of the “angry young man” for Bollywood megastar Amitabh Bachchan in the 1970s, reflecting the angst of the average Indian. In choosing to be the ordinary man’s “hero” as opposed to a thespian in new Bollywood, Salman Khan remains tightly linked to his father’s oeuvre. Thanks dad. 

UK's plans to cut net migration

Under the UK government’s proposals, migrants will have to spend 10 years in the UK before being able to apply for citizenship.

Skilled worker visas will require a university degree, and there will be tighter restrictions on recruitment for jobs with skills shortages.

But what are described as "high-contributing" individuals such as doctors and nurses could be fast-tracked through the system.

Language requirements will be increased for all immigration routes to ensure a higher level of English.

Rules will also be laid out for adult dependants, meaning they will have to demonstrate a basic understanding of the language.

The plans also call for stricter tests for colleges and universities offering places to foreign students and a reduction in the time graduates can remain in the UK after their studies from two years to 18 months.

THE SIXTH SENSE

Starring: Bruce Willis, Toni Collette, Hayley Joel Osment

Director: M. Night Shyamalan

Rating: 5/5

What are the main cyber security threats?

Cyber crime - This includes fraud, impersonation, scams and deepfake technology, tactics that are increasingly targeting infrastructure and exploiting human vulnerabilities.
Cyber terrorism - Social media platforms are used to spread radical ideologies, misinformation and disinformation, often with the aim of disrupting critical infrastructure such as power grids.
Cyber warfare - Shaped by geopolitical tension, hostile actors seek to infiltrate and compromise national infrastructure, using one country’s systems as a springboard to launch attacks on others.

COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
 
Started: 2021
 
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
 
Based: Tunisia 
 
Sector: Water technology 
 
Number of staff: 22 
 
Investment raised: $4 million 

Veil (Object Lessons)
Rafia Zakaria
​​​​​​​Bloomsbury Academic

Dubai World Cup Carnival card:

6.30pm: Handicap (Turf) | US$175,000 2,410 metres

7.05pm: UAE 1000 Guineas Trial Conditions (Dirt) $100,000 1,400m

7.40pm: Handicap (T) $145,000 1,000m

8.15pm: Dubawi Stakes Group 3 (D) $200,000 1,200m

8.50pm: Singspiel Stakes Group 3 (T) $200,000 1,800m

9.25pm: Handicap (T) | $175,000 1,400m

RESULT

West Brom 2 Liverpool 2
West Brom: Livermore (79'), Rondón (88' ) 
Liverpool: Ings (4'), Salah (72') 

The Settlers

Director: Louis Theroux

Starring: Daniella Weiss, Ari Abramowitz

Rating: 5/5

Dust and sand storms compared

Sand storm

  • Particle size: Larger, heavier sand grains
  • Visibility: Often dramatic with thick "walls" of sand
  • Duration: Short-lived, typically localised
  • Travel distance: Limited 
  • Source: Open desert areas with strong winds

Dust storm

  • Particle size: Much finer, lightweight particles
  • Visibility: Hazy skies but less intense
  • Duration: Can linger for days
  • Travel distance: Long-range, up to thousands of kilometres
  • Source: Can be carried from distant regions
The specs

Engine: 2.9-litre twin-turbo V6

Power: 540hp at 6,500rpm

Torque: 600Nm at 2,500rpm

Transmission: Eight-speed auto

Kerb weight: 1580kg

Price: From Dh750k

On sale: via special order

Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.

Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.

Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.

Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.

“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.

Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.

From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.

Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.

BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.

Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.

Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.

“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.

Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.

“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.

“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”

The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”

How to apply for a drone permit
  • Individuals must register on UAE Drone app or website using their UAE Pass
  • Add all their personal details, including name, nationality, passport number, Emiratis ID, email and phone number
  • Upload the training certificate from a centre accredited by the GCAA
  • Submit their request
What are the regulations?
  • Fly it within visual line of sight
  • Never over populated areas
  • Ensure maximum flying height of 400 feet (122 metres) above ground level is not crossed
  • Users must avoid flying over restricted areas listed on the UAE Drone app
  • Only fly the drone during the day, and never at night
  • Should have a live feed of the drone flight
  • Drones must weigh 5 kg or less
Schedule:

Sept 15: Bangladesh v Sri Lanka (Dubai)

Sept 16: Pakistan v Qualifier (Dubai)

Sept 17: Sri Lanka v Afghanistan (Abu Dhabi)

Sept 18: India v Qualifier (Dubai)

Sept 19: India v Pakistan (Dubai)

Sept 20: Bangladesh v Afghanistan (Abu Dhabi) Super Four

Sept 21: Group A Winner v Group B Runner-up (Dubai) 

Sept 21: Group B Winner v Group A Runner-up (Abu Dhabi)

Sept 23: Group A Winner v Group A Runner-up (Dubai)

Sept 23: Group B Winner v Group B Runner-up (Abu Dhabi)

Sept 25: Group A Winner v Group B Winner (Dubai)

Sept 26: Group A Runner-up v Group B Runner-up (Abu Dhabi)

Sept 28: Final (Dubai)