bodyType

customContents

entityId

entityUuid

articlePageQuery

filter

article

articleBaseAdvertisingInfoArticle

articleListArticle

articleSeoArticle

hooksArticleAcknowledgementGateOverlayArticle

hooksTrackPageViewArticle

hooksContentInterestArticle

articleLinkingDataContent

hooksAmpRedirectArticle

articleSchemaContent

liveArticle

advertZone

sentiment

contentLock

topics

types

sections

paywallTypes

createdDate

publishedDate

sponsorType

urlAlias

moreOnThisArticles

commentCount

authorLocations

authors

corrections

displaySlideShow

multimediaEmbed

printHeadline

seriesContainer

articleSpeeches

socialHeadline

headline

images

flag

firstTopic

glossary

flattenTypeIds

image

relatedLinks

relatedNewsletters

__typename

sponsor

pdfFiles

seriesReverseOrder

series

disableOffPlatformContent

published

updatedDate

summary

subHeadline

body

keywords

readingTime

customTimezone

liveContents

In corners of Tripoli unaffected by militia violence gripping the capital, Libyans sip espresso and eat pizza as the sounds of gunfire echo in the distance.
Since the fall of dictator Muammar Gaddafi in 2011, pizzerias and cafes have proliferated in the ex-Italian colony, even as the country descended further into anarchy as nationalist fighters battled Islamist-linked militants in a tussle for power.
The violence has closed off parts of the capital, Tripoli, with the airport seeing intense clashes in recent days.
But in the peaceful areas of the city, the coffee trade is booming as young Libyans open cafes and foreign businesses arrive, trying to capitalise on the freedoms offered in the post-Gaddafi era.
At a coffee shop on a main thoroughfare, a sign proclaims "The best coffee in town". The cafe is open 24 hours a day, so Libyans can enjoy their pick-me-up drink around the clock.
Until the Italians arrived, the inhabitants of Libya were known as tea drinkers. Now coffee is an integral part of their everyday lives.
Gaddafi, whose reign began in 1969, did not welcome investment from abroad, but since his fall a large Italian coffee company has opened three outlets in Tripoli.
"It's exceptional," said the director Rashid, a Moroccan who had worked for a coffee company in Dubai before deciding to try his luck in Libya.
"Our customers come back every day," he enthused at the cafe, where every table was full and women were present, which is a rare sight in the country's male-dominated society.
Residents of Tripoli, it seems, also can't get enough of one of Italy's famous other exports, pizza. But rather than seeking the pure Italian taste, many pizzerias adapt their recipes to suit local preferences, often avoiding particularly strong sauces.
Ahmed, a pizza chef, said young people made up the majority of the clientele. Customers chatted and ate, seeming to be on another planet than the gunfire tearing apart the south of Tripoli, where the airport is located.
Libyans' love of espresso, pizza and pasta, of which they are also big consumers, underlines their ties with Italy.
But so does something else. Despite the dire security situation, Rome is one of the few Western countries still to have a diplomatic presence in Tripoli.


Despite the troubles, Libyans resume their love affair with things Italian

Having a pizza in Tripoli.Photo: AFP

News

World

In corners of Tripoli unaffected by militia violence gripping the capital, Libyans sip espresso and eat pizza as the sounds of gunfire echo in the distance.


Despite the troubles, Libyans resume their love affair with things Italian

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}In corners of Tripoli unaffected by militia violence gripping the capital, Libyans sip espresso and eat pizza as the sounds of gunfire echo in the distance.

In corners of Tripoli unaffected by militia violence gripping the capital, Libyans sip espresso and eat pizza as the sounds of gunfire echo in the distance.