Mohammad Al-Darrat

The advisor to the Presidential Council's head for the US Relations, Mohammad Al-Darrat, has doubted that any changes will occur in the Libyan file even after the President-elect Joe Biden's administration takes office in January.

But Al-Darrat anticipates that the new White House administration might limit the margin of maneuver for some of the US allies who are interfering negatively in Libya.

"Libya will not be a priority for President Biden," Al-Darrat says.

However, he pointed out that the new officials who will take over offices concerned with external affairs, such as the State Department, the National Security Council, the Ministry of Defence, in addition to the interest expressed by the US Congress through the issuance of the Stability Support Act, will have an evident and direct impact immediately after the first months of the new administration's function.

Al-Darrat predicted that the Biden administration would impose sanctions on the parties fueling the Libyan conflict.

"Haftar's allies are the ones who started rearranging their cards after the US election results, unlike Haftar, who does not have multiple options, as he is the one who placed himself in the spoilers and criminals list, and will face international prosecution."

He also assumed that the Biden administration will place more emphasis on limiting Russian influence in Libya by pressuring Haftar's allies, especially those involved in bringing them to Libya.

"The United States may impose some sanctions on Haftar and some of his close allies in light of an expected Russian-French approach to prevent any UN decision in this regard."

Al-Darrat believes that there will be no changes to the U.S. policy on the political process in Libya, as it will continue to support security and stability efforts and to pursue all criminals and spoilers who intend to obstruct the peace process.

The US Congress adopted on Wednesday the Libya Stability Act, which stipulates that the US President is the one to determine the violators of international law in Libya.

The law also introduces a set of sanctions against those involved in war and financial crimes, or had a hand in the regional interventions, or contributed to money laundering or oil smuggling activities.