Since 2011 and the fall of longtime dictator Muammar Qaddafi, Libya has become an arena for rival regional powers to settle scores and exert influence. External actors have developed proxies and shifting alliances that compete for control of the country’s vast energy resources. Libya continues to operate without a central government that can impose security or exert political and economic control over the entire country. This has allowed terrorist and criminal organizations to operate with impunity. These networks of armed non-state actors threaten the consistent delivery of oil to international markets, facilitate the flow of illicit goods (e.g. drugs and weapons) and people through the Maghreb-Sahel region, and destabilize neighboring states. 

Most recently, China has sought to deepen its influence in Libya, seeking reconstruction and investment opportunities. The growing presence of the Chinese Communist Party is a threat to global energy markets and increases Beijing’s ability to apply economic pressure on Europe, especially countries that rely on Libya for oil or those along the Mediterranean that would be impacted by large-scale irregular migration. 

USIP’s Work

USIP works alongside local, national and international partners to improve Libyan capacity to stem the flow of terrorists and illicit goods across the Sahel and Maghreb; counter the growing influence of malign foreign actors; and facilitate stability in the Libyan (and, by extension, the global) energy sector.

Since 2011, the Institute has engaged at the local and national levels to strengthen the rule of law, address destabilizing factors, and improve the ability of government to deliver services. USIP works on several complimentary programmatic tracks that seek to address the country’s fragmentation, security challenges, and ongoing conflict at the local and national level in a comprehensive manner. USIP strives to support national and international efforts to help end Libya’s political division and lead to a more stable Libya that is not susceptible to control by America’s adversaries.

Strengthening the Security Sector and Rule of Law

USIP’s projects promote the rule of law and strengthen security and justice sectors. These projects evaluate the criminal justice sector — strengthening capacities of justice officials and security actors to implement reforms. Most recently, USIP worked with the Libyan Ministry of Interior to train police to counter radicalization, terrorist recruitment and external security threats.

Improving Policing Practices

USIP works with police to develop mutually beneficial relationships with local communities, developing networks that help identify and root out security threats. From 2020-2023, USIP partnered with local leaders and police in Benghazi, Ubari, Brak Al-Shatti, Derna, Aljmail, Sirte, Rigdaleen, Sabha, Zellah and Ajdabiya to design and implement initiatives in advance of local elections. These engagements resulted in a series of local initiatives and mechanisms aimed at preventing and mitigating electoral violence and enhancing local coordination during the full election cycle. In 2025, USIP will work with police, youth and local leaders to counter threats along Libya’s borders.

Addressing Destabilizing Factors

Since 2012, USIP has invested in the capacity building of local leaders to prevent violent conflict in their communities through trainings in conflict analysis, transitional justice and dialogue facilitation at the local level. USIP partnered with these trained leaders from Sabha, Ubari and Nalut-Siyaan from 2018 to 2020 to address the underlying grievances that destabilize those localities and fuel national conflict. From 2020 to 2022, USIP expanded this approach to additional locations to help divided communities collaborate and problem solve to mitigate the drivers of instability, such as the return of internally displaced persons, land disputes and grievances connected to the oil sector.

This USIP model has produced tangible results, including the Libyan National Oil Corporation implementing four of the priority recommendations from USIP’s “Youth and Energy Dialogue.” Since 2022, USIP has expanded these efforts to train local leaders and support local outcome-oriented efforts in Kufra, Ghat and Murzuq and to enable locally led initiatives aimed at addressing local conflict drivers that negatively impact Libya’s oil infrastructure. Current dialogues and post-dialogue initiatives seek to enhances stability, security and access to essential resources in Libya by disrupting sabotage of energy infrastructure and transforming the relationships between localities, local governments and national corporations.

USIP is also providing technical assistance to the Libyan Presidential Council and working with the Libyan Peace Institute to bring key parties of the Libyan conflict together. In this context, USIP has initiated a coordination group, including bilateral partners as well as the U.N. Support Mission in Libya and the African Union, to end Libya’s political divisions.

Enhancing Capacities of Libyan Institutions

USIP works with Libyan national institutions to enhance their knowledge and skills to prevent further intra-state violent conflict in Libya, including the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Libyan House of Representatives. USIP also works to support preparations for a concerted disarmament, demobilization, rehabilitation and reintegration (DDRR) process. This includes an assessment of Libyan capacity needs and related trainings on effective DDRR approaches.

Informing Policy through Groundbreaking Research

USIP works with local and international partners to produce unique, timely and policy-relevant research to inform U.S. policymakers and broader U.S. government programming decisions. USIP has produced reports covering: the state of prisons and detention, the significance of tribal authorities and their role in justice and security, the secure release of sensitive detainees, drug trafficking and use, youth grievances in southern Libya, election violence, and a mapping of the criminal justice system in the Fezzan, among others.

Support Global Fragility Act Implementation in Libya

USIP has provided technical support to the U.S. government on the design and implementation of the U.S. Strategy to Prevent Conflict and Promote Stability under the Global Fragility Act. In close partnership with U.S. government partners, USIP regularly convenes Libyan subject matter experts for consultations on thematic topics aligned with U.S. foreign policy priorities in Libya.