Gonzi draws lessons from Libya for Syria’s transition, warns against early asylum suspensions

Former prime minister Lawrence Gonzi highlighted the "dramatic differences" between Libya's situation during the 2010 Arab Spring and Syria's current predicament.

The former Nationalist PM was asked whether any lessons from that experience could be applied to Syria's current crisis. He pointed to difference in "the history and context” that inspired the two uprisings noting that Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) is a former affiliate of Al-Qaeda and designated a terrorist organisation by the UN, US, EU, and other states.

“This scenario is further complicated by what is happening in Ukraine, Israel, Gaza, and Lebanon, as well as the role of Iran and Russia,” Gonzi remarked.

Despite these distinctions, he believed there were "important lessons to be learned from what happened in Libya during the critical phase of the transition process."

“To begin with, there must be an urgent and concerted effort to engage with and support the fledgling Syrian authorities in their challenging task of building an inclusive society. This includes ensuring that all segments of society have a voice in the political process, which must start at some point,” he said.

He acknowledged the difficulty of this task, noting that certain preconditions must first be established: Law and order, security and safety for all citizens, protection of national assets and infrastructure, a functioning central bank, and a robust administrative framework capable of addressing immediate needs, such as salaries for police, judges, teachers, and civil servants.

“I mention all of this because Libya suffered immensely in those first few days after the revolution, when the transitional government struggled to persuade the international community to unfreeze its substantial assets due to international sanctions. Sadly, this left the Libyan National Transitional Council unable to quickly set up a functioning administration to address the bread-and-butter issues – the very reasons that triggered the Arab Spring in the first place,” Gonzi explained.

He described HTS's initial public declarations as "encouraging" but tempered this with caution.

“Whether this will prove to be the case in the medium to short term remains to be seen. However, these early positive signs should encourage the EU and the international community to adopt a policy of early engagement and comprehensive support, addressing both political and economic challenges faced by Syria at this crucial juncture, with priority given to ensuring security and stability.”

Millions of Syrians were displaced by the civil war, ending up as refugees in other countries (Photo: Karl Schembri)

Suspending asylum applications does not bode well

Gonzi also emphasised the importance of providing humanitarian aid and support to refugees and internally displaced persons.

“Suspending asylum applications at this very early stage of development is not something I would support, and it does not bode well for an international community that wishes to offer a constructive helping hand,” he said.

He acknowledged the need for caution during this phase, particularly in assessing whether HTS intends to implement an inclusive policy.

“How they handle the Christian community and other minorities will be a crucial test. However, shutting the door on those who are legally and morally entitled to protection is certainly not the right approach,” he concluded.