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Somalia and Libya

Libya lent Somalia 2 million Libyan dinars in 1974 to finish Kismayo airport, but the two governments broke relations twice, over the Ogaden war in 1977 and over Libyan support for Somali rebels in 1981, before restoring them in 1985. President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud visited Tripoli in February 2025 and signed four memoranda. Today the main issue is migration: thousands of Somalis cross Libya towards Italy, and Somalia brings migrants home from there.

Last checked 2026-11-13 26 sources Reading time: 7 min

How do Somalia and Libya relate today?

President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud made an official visit to Tripoli in February 2025. On 24 February he met Prime Minister Abdulhamid Dbeibah, and the two governments signed four memoranda of understanding (Somali Foreign Ministry, 24 February 2025). They covered visa-free travel for diplomats, a joint ministerial committee, political consultations and a link between the cities of Mogadishu and Tripoli (same source).

Both countries have missions in each other's capitals. Somalia's new ambassador presented credentials in Tripoli in June 2026, and Libya has a chargé d'affaires in Mogadishu (Dawan Africa, 14 June 2026; Somali Foreign Ministry, 23 June 2026).

Migration dominates the agenda. Somalia's ministers have raised the welfare of Somalis in Libya, voluntary returns and the smuggling networks along the route (Somali Foreign Ministry, 21 October 2026). In November 2026 Foreign Minister Abdisalam Abdi Ali attended the CEN-SAD session in Tripoli and discussed Somali livestock exports with Libya's finance minister (Somali Foreign Ministry, 8 November 2026).

When did contact begin?

Loans and the Arab League

Somalia joined the Arab League on 14 February 1974 (Somali Archive, Siad Barre's accession speech). On 26 June 1974 Libya and Somalia signed a loan agreement for 2 million Libyan dinars to finish Kismayo international airport (Libyan Law No. 19 of 1975, Libyan Legal Compendium).

The loan carried 5% interest. Somalia was to repay it over ten years from 1 January 1977, in Somali goods priced at world market rates (same source). Libya's Revolutionary Command Council ratified it on 25 February 1975 (same source). The two countries also adopted a plan in 1974 to carry out an economic, cultural and technical cooperation agreement (Libyan Legal Compendium, 1974).

Two breaks, 1977 and 1981

Libya supported Ethiopia in the 1977–1978 Ogaden war, and Somalia withdrew recognition of Libya in 1977 (GlobalSecurity, "Somalia – Foreign Relations"). In 1981 Somalia broke relations, accusing Muammar Gaddafi of backing the armed opposition Somali Salvation Democratic Front (SSDF) and the Somali National Movement (SNM) (Library of Congress Country Study, "Relations with Arab Countries"). Relations were restored in April 1985 (GlobalSecurity).

See Ogaden war 1977 and Armed movements 1978–1991.

After 1991

Sudan and Libya were the only countries to keep a continued, if intermittent, diplomatic presence in Somalia during the years of war (Al Jazeera, 28 May 2007). In February 2009 Gaddafi became chairman of the African Union (VOA via GlobalSecurity, February 2009). In March 2009 President Sharif Sheikh Ahmed held talks in Tripoli on bilateral ties (VOA via GlobalSecurity, March 2009).

IGAD leaders met on Somalia in Sirte on the sidelines of the AU summit in Libya, with Sharif present (IGAD communiqué, 30 June 2009).

Who are the ambassadors and envoys?

Who built the tie?

  • Mohamed al-Zarruq Rajab: Libyan treasury minister who signed the 1974 Kismayo airport loan (Libyan Law No. 19 of 1975).
  • Mohamed Yusuf Weirah: Somali secretary of state for finance who signed the same loan (same source).
  • Abdessalam Jalloud: Libyan prime minister who signed the 1975 law ratifying the loan (same source).
  • Muammar Gaddafi: Libyan leader whom Somalia accused in 1981 of backing the SSDF and SNM (Library of Congress Country Study).
  • Siad Barre: Somali president who broke with Libya in 1977 and 1981 and restored ties in 1985 (GlobalSecurity). See Siad Barre.
  • Hassan Sheikh Mohamud and Abdulhamid Dbeibah: leaders who met in Tripoli on 24 February 2025 (Somali Foreign Ministry).
  • Ahmed Moallim Fiqi and Taher Salem Al-Baour: foreign ministers who signed the 2025 memoranda (same source).
  • Abdisalam Abdi Ali: Somali foreign minister who discussed migration with Al-Baour at the UN in September 2026 (Somali Foreign Ministry, 24 September 2026).
  • Hassan Mohamed Ali: Somali deputy foreign minister who received 129 returnees from Libya in July 2026 (Somali Foreign Ministry, 2 July 2026).

What agreements have they signed?

  • 1974: plan to carry out an economic, cultural and technical cooperation agreement (Libyan Legal Compendium).
  • 26 June 1974: loan of 2 million Libyan dinars for Kismayo international airport, ratified 25 February 1975 (Libyan Law No. 19 of 1975).
  • 24 February 2025: four memoranda: visa exemption for diplomatic passports, a joint ministerial committee, political consultations, and cooperation between the Mogadishu and Tripoli municipalities (Somali Foreign Ministry).

Which leaders have visited?

How much do they trade?

Libya has not reported its trade with Somalia to UN Comtrade for recent years (UN Comtrade query, Libya–Somalia, 2023). The 1974 loan was to be repaid in Somali goods, arranged between Libya's supply agency and Somalia's commerce ministry (Libyan Law No. 19 of 1975). In November 2026 Somalia's foreign minister and Libya's finance minister discussed growing Somali livestock exports to Libya (Somali Foreign Ministry).

How much aid and money has gone in?

The 1974 airport loan is the main recorded Libyan financing (see above). UN OCHA lists no Libyan humanitarian grants to Somalia for 2006 to 2025 (OCHA FTS, 2011). Return flights for Somali migrants are run with IOM's Voluntary Humanitarian Return programme (Somali Foreign Ministry, 2 July 2026).

What about security?

Libya does not take part in the AU mission in Somalia (Dawan Africa, 1 August 2026). In the early 1980s Somalia accused Libya of supporting the SSDF and SNM rebels (Library of Congress Country Study). Today the security agenda is people smuggling: in October 2026 the two sides agreed to work against smuggling and trafficking networks on the route (Somali Foreign Ministry). See Foreign forces in Somalia.

How does Libya deal with Somaliland and the member states?

Libya deals with Somalia's federal government. Of 129 migrants flown home from Libya in July 2026, 110 landed in Mogadishu and 19 in Hargeisa (Somali Foreign Ministry, 2 July 2026). The 1974 loan paid for Kismayo airport, now in Jubaland (Libyan Law No. 19 of 1975). No Libyan statement on Somaliland was found in the sources checked.

Have there been disputes?

  • 1977: Somalia withdrew recognition of Libya over its support for Ethiopia in the Ogaden war (GlobalSecurity).
  • 1981–1985: Somalia broke relations, accusing Gaddafi of backing the SSDF and SNM; ties resumed in 1985 (Library of Congress Country Study).
  • Migrants: Somalis held by smugglers have described abuse in Kufra and Bani Walid (VOA, 2018). Libya is not a party to the 1951 Refugee Convention (UNHCR, Libya 2024).

How many Somalis live in Libya?

UNHCR registered 778 Somali asylum seekers in Libya at the end of 2025, and IOM counted more than 1,400 Somali migrants stranded there in April 2025 (UNHCR API; Dawan, citing IOM). See Somalis in Libya.

Where does Libya stand in the UN and other bodies on Somalia?

Both countries are members of the Arab League, the AU and CEN-SAD; Somalia attended CEN-SAD's 22nd session in Tripoli in November 2026 (Somali Foreign Ministry). Libya hosted the 2009 AU summit in Sirte, where IGAD leaders met on Somalia (IGAD communiqué). Since 2019 Rwanda, UNHCR and the AU have flown refugees, including Somalis, from Libya to Rwanda (KT Press, September 2026).

Sources

  1. Somali Foreign Ministry, 24 February 2025 · web.mfa.gov.so
  2. Dawan Africa, 14 June 2026 · dawan.africa
  3. Somali Foreign Ministry, 23 June 2026 · web.mfa.gov.so
  4. Somali Foreign Ministry, 21 October 2026 · web.mfa.gov.so
  5. Somali Foreign Ministry, 8 November 2026 · web.mfa.gov.so
  6. Somali Archive, Siad Barre's accession speech · somaliarchive77.substack.com
  7. Libyan Law No. 19 of 1975, Libyan Legal Compendium · lawsociety.ly
  8. Libyan Legal Compendium, 1974 · lawsociety.ly
  9. GlobalSecurity, "Somalia – Foreign Relations" · globalsecurity.org
  10. Library of Congress Country Study, "Relations with Arab Countries" · countrystudies.us
  11. Al Jazeera, 28 May 2007 · aljazeera.com
  12. VOA via GlobalSecurity, February 2009 · globalsecurity.org
  13. VOA via GlobalSecurity, March 2009 · globalsecurity.org
  14. IGAD communiqué, 30 June 2009 · osesgy.unmissions.org
  15. Somali Foreign Ministry, 24 September 2026 · web.mfa.gov.so
  16. Somali Foreign Ministry, 2 July 2026 · web.mfa.gov.so
  17. Somali Foreign Ministry, 23 February 2025 · web.mfa.gov.so
  18. Somali Foreign Ministry, 7 November 2026 · web.mfa.gov.so
  19. UN Comtrade query, Libya–Somalia, 2023 · comtradeapi.un.org
  20. OCHA FTS, 2011 · api.hpc.tools
  21. Dawan Africa, 1 August 2026 · dawan.africa
  22. VOA, 2018 · voanews.com
  23. UNHCR, Libya 2024 · unhcr.org
  24. UNHCR API · api.unhcr.org
  25. Dawan, citing IOM · dawan.africa
  26. KT Press, September 2026 · ktpress.rw

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