![Libya [Shutterstock]](https://www.state.gov/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/shutterstock_638548159-2101x1406.jpg)
International Travel Information
What you need to know before you go: visas, Embassy & Consulate locations, vaccinations, etc.
International Travel Information: Learn MoreU.S. Relations With Libya
Highlights
U.S. Relationship
U.S.-Libya Relations
The United States supports an immediate end to Libya’s ongoing conflict through mediation efforts under the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL). The United States is committed to ensuring a stable and prosperous Libya, and in cooperation with the UN and other international partners supports Libya’s democratic transition, including through national elections. The United States is focused on promoting the ability of Libyans to achieve a unified and inclusive government that can both secure the country and meet the economic and humanitarian needs of the Libyan people.
U.S. Assistance to Libya
The United States is committed to providing targeted assistance to build Libyan institutions, promote political reconciliation, and increase Libya’s capacity to govern effectively by holding free and fair elections, securing Libya’s territory, and managing public finances transparently and responsibly. Investing in Libya’s future will help advance Libya’s democratic transition, promote stability, and strengthen the U.S.-Libya partnership. The United States works with the national government, municipal councils, entrepreneurs, and a range of civil society groups, including those representing women and marginalized communities, in their efforts to improve Libyan lives. Since 2011, the United States has provided more than $840 million in assistance for Libya.
Bilateral Economic Relations
The energy sector is central to Libya’s economy, and oil and gas revenues constitute the principal source of foreign exchange, underscoring the importance for the sector to continue operating nationwide. Many U.S. companies, particularly in the energy sector, have long-standing investments in Libya. Two-way trade in goods between the United States and Libya totaled more than $1.1 billion in 2019. The United States also has signed a trade and investment framework agreement with the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa, of which Libya is a member.
![Libya Flag: Three horizontal bands of red (top), black (double width), and green with a white crescent and star centered on the black stripe; the National Transitional Council reintroduced this flag design of the former Kingdom of Libya (1951-1969) on 27 February 2011; it replaced the former all-green banner promulgated by the QADHAFI regime in 1977; the colors represent the three major regions of the country: red stands for Fezzan, black symbolizes Cyrenaica, and green denotes Tripolitania; the crescent and star represent Islam, the main religion of the country [CIA World Fact Book]](https://www.state.gov/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/Libya-Flag.gif)