Why fighting the “war on terror” in Libya is a mistake
A critique of Libya's “war on terror” and its inevitable complications.
Experts & Staff
Mattia Toaldo
ECFR Alumni · Senior Policy Fellow
Areas of expertise
Libya, Middle East Peace process, Israeli and Palestinian politics, Migrations, EU policy in the southern Mediterranean
Languages
English, French, Italian
Biography
Mattia used to work for ECFR as senior policy fellow until January 2018.
Libyan state disintegration
ECFR is launching a new “Conflict in Libya” page that gathers all the analysis and the policy recommendations prepared by our experts
Who will stop Libya’s implosion?
No local combatants in the civil war or their regional backers are ready to compromise or land knockout blow
With crises in Ukraine, Iraq and Gaza still raging, why should Europeans care about Libya?
This Q&A is based on a discussion between the author and over 400 experts and interested stakeholders in the Reuter Thompson Global Oil Forum
A European agenda to support Libya’s transition
Europe must to more to aid Libya’s transition
Mattia Toaldo spiega cos’è e come funziona il ‘Two State Stress Test’
Cos'è e come funziona il nuovo progetto di ECFR, 'Israel-Palestine Two-State Stress Test'? Mattia Toaldo, co-autore, lo spiega e analizza i risultati…
Why Europe should step up its efforts in Libya
European support for Libya is difficult because of a deteriorating security situation and lack of clear institutions, but it would have an important impact on the region
Israel-Palestine Two State Stress Test
ECFR’s innovative project Two State Stress Test provides a health-check on whether developments across seven different areas are serving to strain or sustain a possible two-state outcome for the Israeli-Palestinian conflict
The Two-State Stress Test
ECFR's new innovative project – the Two-State Stress Test – provides an annual health-check on whether developments across seven different areas are serving to strain or sustain a possible two-state outcome for the Israeli-Palestinian conflict
Publications
Don’t close borders, manage them: how to improve EU policy on migration through Libya
Attempts to close Europe’s borders are counter-productive – legal channels must be opened in exchange for return of illegals
After ISIS: How to Win the Peace in Iraq and Libya
Recent terror attacks in Berlin, Baghdad and Istanbul demonstrate that defeating ISIS militarily is only half the battle
Intervening better: Europe’s second chance in Libya
The unity government offers the best chance of stabilising Libya, stemming refugee flows and pushing back ISIS, and Europe should focus on strengthening it
European Foreign Policy Scorecard 2016
The sixth ECFR Foreign Policy Scorecard highlights the EU’s diminishing ability to influence its neighbours, and the neighbourhood’s growing impact on the EU
Libya’s migrant-smuggling highway: Lessons for Europe
How the lessons of Libya can help European policymakers respond to the wider migration crisis
EU Differentiation and Israeli settlements
The EU needs to act faster and further in ensuring that Israeli settlements in no way benefit from EU-Israel bilateral relations
European Foreign Policy Scorecard 2015
The fifth edition of ECFR’s Foreign Policy Scorecard examines EU’s response to a year of crisis
A European agenda to support Libya’s transition
Europe must to more to aid Libya’s transition
In search of legitimacy: the Palestinian national movement 20 years after Oslo
How to rebuild the Palestinian national movement
Articles
Russia in Libya: War or Peace?
Europe must use its diplomatic leverage to ensure that increased Russian involvement does not come at the cost of further destabilisation on Europe’s southern border
Security through politics
Europe should not confine itself to adopting a narrow security-driven approach in Libya
Does the road to stability in Libya pass through Cairo?
Ultimately, the road to stability in Libya does pass through Cairo, but most importantly through Tripoli and Misrata
Libya, the time to avoid escalation is now
The alternative is the resumption of fighting at the levels of summer 2014, which led to the establishment of ISIS in the country
Has Netanyahu really won?
Losing the cover of the two state solution could pose serious problems for Benyamin Netanyahu
The EU deal with Libya on migration: a question of fairness and effectiveness
Whether the new EU migration agreement will work and whether it will respect migrants’ rights is an open question with the answer likely to be no
Why a refugee deal with Libya is a bad idea
The Maltese plan is less about managing migration and more about reducing the numbers arriving in Europe at any cost
The EU’s migration policy in Africa: five ways forward
The European Union is not helpless in the face of migration flows from sub-Saharan Africa. Here is how it can act
Is the sky falling on Libya?
The ink is barely dry on a new joint statement on Libya. But already the roadmap is under threat from developments on the ground.
After Warsaw: A 3-point plan to manage migration through Libya
Adding NATO to Operation Sophia is unlikely to substantially change the picture – though it won’t hurt. Instead, in the coming months the EU should focus on three policy baskets
Specials
A quick guide to Libya’s main players
In Libya there are very few truly national actors, the vast majority are local players. This guide explains who the players are and what they control
Israel-Palestine Two State Stress Test
ECFR’s innovative project Two State Stress Test provides a health-check on whether developments across seven different areas are serving to strain or sustain a possible two-state outcome for the Israeli-Palestinian conflict
Podcasts
Sahel : comment l’intégration régionale peut favoriser la stabilité
Podcast du Black Coffee Morning “Sahel : comment l’intégration régionale peut favoriser la stabilité” du 13/06/2017, animé par Fransje Molenaar, chercheuse à l'Unité…
Quelle stratégie pour l’après-Daech en Irak et en Libye ?
Podcast du Black Coffee Morning “Quelle stratégie pour l’après-Daech en Irak et en Libye ?” du 10/02, animé par Florence Gaub, Analyste senior…
Mark’s World In 30 Minutes: How to respond to Trump’s travel ban?
ECFR’s director Mark Leonard discusses with ECFR's Research Director Jeremy Shapiro and ECFR Policy Fellows Anthony Dworkin & Mattia Toaldo how the EU should respond…
After ISIS: Stabilising Iraq and Libya
Even while conducting terrorist attacks in Berlin, Istanbul and Baghdad recently, Isis has suffered severe setbacks with the elimination of its territorial presence in Libya…
ECFR’s World in 30 Minutes: The Vienna talks on Libya and Syria
ECFR’s director Mark Leonard speaks with ECFR policy fellows Ellie Geranmayeh, Julien Barnes-Dacey and Mattia Toaldo, about the recent talks in Vienna where foreign minister…
How to Escalate Political Efforts to Stabilise Libya?
Listen on Mixcloud After more than a year of efforts, some Libyan factions have signed a UN-backed political agreement
ECFR’s World in 30 Minutes: The ‘one-in one-out’ EU – Turkey deal
ECFR’s director Mark Leonard speaks with ECFR Visiting Fellow Asli Aydintasbas, ECFR Senior Policy Fellow Mattia Toaldo, and ECFR Board Member and German politician…
What role for Europe in settling Libyan political crisis?
BCM du mercredi 17 février portant sur le rôle pour l'Europe dans le règlement de la crise poliique libyenne. Avec Mattia Toaldo, Policy Fellow à…
Yemen – what next?
Listen on Mixcloud Mattia Toaldo, ECFR Policy Fellow, Adam Baron, Visiting Fellow at ECFR, Iona Craig, a British-Irish freelance…
The terrorist threat in North Africa – how it is developing and how to counter it
Listen on Mixcloud Riccardo Fabiani, senior analyst at the Eurasia Group, Andrew Lebovich, visiting fellow at ECFR, Mattia Toaldo,…
In the media
El Mundo quotes Mattia Toaldo on Saif al Islam and his desire to reconquer Libya.
Mattia Toaldo is quoted about Italy's approach to migration and Minniti's deal to keep migrants in Libya
Mattia Toaldo tells Politico that Libya's Haftar recognises that migration is the key to international legitimacy
Mattia Toaldo is quoted by “The Guardian” on the return of Saif al-Islam, son of former Libyan dictator, to Libyan politics as he is released from detention
Mattia Toaldo speaks to RFI about the Libyan Prime Minister's meeting with President Trump and his wish to lift the arms embargo