![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 MoreHighlights
July 16, 2019
U.S. Relationship
U.S.-Libya Relations
The U.S. has a strategic interest in a stable and prosperous Libya, and in cooperation with the UN and other international partners supports Libya’s democratic transition. The U.S. is focused on promoting the ability of Libyans to maintain 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 U.S. 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 U.S. 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.
Bilateral Economic Relations
Oil revenues constitute Libya's principal source of foreign exchange. Many U.S. companies, particularly in the oil sector, have long-standing investments in Libya. Two-way trade in goods between the U.S. and Libya totaled more than $1.5 billion in 2017. The U.S. 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){kind=small}