Haftar’s Son Vows to Make Up for Libya’s ‘Lost Years’ Under Gaddafi

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Benghazi: Belgacem Haftar, the son of Khalifa Haftar, the military leader in eastern Libya, has promised to make up for what he called more than 40 years of missed development under Muammar Gaddafi. Belgacem stated in an interview with AFP that significant reconstruction initiatives in eastern Libya helped in the reverse years of neglect in the fields of infrastructure, healthcare, and education.

Belgacem, the head of the Libya Development and Reconstruction Fund, emphasised efforts to restore Benghazi and Derna, two cities where thousands of people died in terrible floods in 2023. He cited new bridges, schools, hospitals, and housing projects as examples of how the rate of progress in the last two years has outpaced that of Gaddafi's 42 years rule.

The reconstruction effort comes as the Haftar family attempts to boost its political status in eastern Libya, which is still controlled by Khalifa Haftar's forces. Critics have questioned the transparency of the fund's expenditure, but Belgacem defended it, claiming that all agreements and payments are subject to oversight and auditing.

More than ten years after the 2011 uprising that toppled Gaddafi, Libya is still divided between opposing administrations in the east and west. Belgacem said the fund may expand projects into western Libya if requested, though emphasising that major areas of the country are still in urgent need of infrastructure and public services.