Libya – As part of efforts to strengthen Libya’s regional and international standing, and diversify its strategic and defense partnerships, Lieutenant General Saddam Haftar, Chief of Staff of the Libyan Land Forces, embarked on an extensive foreign tour over the past two years. His visits spanned several countries across the Middle East, Africa, Europe, and Asia. These visits aim to support the Libyan Armed Forces, develop military capabilities, and build balanced international relations that contribute to the country’s stability.
Pakistan: Advanced Defense Partnerships
During his visit to Pakistan, Lieutenant General Haftar signed significant military cooperation agreements, including training, exchange of expertise, counterterrorism, and exploring collaboration in defense industries, particularly to enhance the combat capabilities of the Libyan Land Forces. The visit resulted in the formation of joint military committees tasked with preparing sustainable training programs and coordinating mutual visits, all supervised by senior military leadership. This initiative reflects Libya’s strategy to diversify its defense partners beyond traditional alliances and benefit from Pakistan’s distinguished experience in building a professional army and combating terrorism.
Africa: Strengthening Ties with the Sahel Region
Haftar’s outreach extended to several African countries, including Chad, Burkina Faso, and Niger. In Chad, he met with President Mahamat Idriss Déby; in Burkina Faso, with Transitional President Ibrahim Traoré; and visited Niger to boost military and security cooperation within the Sahel “belt” countries. These visits demonstrate Libya’s approach to building balanced regional partnerships that support security and stability in border areas and limit the adverse influence of other powers.
United States: Meetings with Former Trump Administration Advisors
In April 2025, Lieutenant General Haftar visited Washington, D.C., where he met with senior officials from former President Donald Trump’s administration, including Masad Polous, Senior Advisor to the President; Tim Lenderking, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs; and Richard Norland, U.S. Special Envoy to Libya. The discussions focused on enhancing cooperation between the United States and Libya, particularly supporting Libya’s military and technical institutions to contribute to national stability and unification of military forces.
Europe: Security and Political Cooperation
In Europe, Haftar visited Italy and held meetings with the Minister of Defense and the Chief of Staff of the Italian Army to develop frameworks for military and security cooperation aimed at combating illegal migration and strengthening regional stability. He also participated in Victory Day celebrations in Moscow alongside his father, Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar, Commander-in-Chief of the Libyan Armed Forces, where he met with Russian President Vladimir Putin. This visit highlighted the importance of bilateral relations with Russia, especially in military and security fields. In June 2025, Haftar attended a summit in France for Chiefs of Staff from 15 countries, aimed at enhancing military coordination and regional cooperation.
Middle East: Strategic Visits to Egypt and Turkey
Haftar conducted two visits to Egypt. The first involved meetings with the Chief of Staff of the Egyptian Army to enhance military cooperation, and the second was an official visit alongside his father, Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar, to El Alamein, where they met President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, underscoring the deep relations between the two nations. In Turkey, he undertook an official visit focused on restructuring military and security relations, signing cooperation agreements, and exchanging expertise amid a careful reassessment of bilateral ties, emphasizing common interests to end the chaos in western Libya.
Algeria: Strengthening Security and Political Ties
In July 2025, Haftar made an unannounced visit to Algeria aimed at reinforcing security and political cooperation between the two countries. This visit fits within a broader framework of regional collaboration to ensure border stability and address shared challenges.
A Long-Term Strategy for Stability
This diverse set of visits is part of a comprehensive strategy led by Lieutenant General Saddam Haftar that seeks to neutralize negative external interventions and reduce the influence of certain states that complicate Libya’s crisis. The strategy emphasizes patience and the smart use of existing opportunities, focusing on building a professional national army capable of restoring the country’s security and political sovereignty.
Rising Military Readiness
Political analyst Kamel Al-Meraash confirmed that under Haftar’s leadership, the Libyan Army has made significant strides in combat readiness. The strategy to neutralize obstructive external powers will reduce the dominance of militias in the capital and isolate them, thus enhancing the prospects for national stability. Al-Meraash added that once these external influences are neutralized, the militias supporting the Dbeibah government will not withstand the Libyan National Army for more than 24 hours.
