Libya: A Critical Review of Tripoli’s Sub-Saharan African Policies

The document examines the 'double incarnation' of Libyan foreign policy under Muammar Qaddafi. From 1970 to the mid-1990s, Libya focused on pan-Arabism and frequently destabilized African nations by supporting rebel groups in Chad, Sudan, Liberia, and Sierra Leone. Since the late 1990s, Tripoli shifted toward pan-Africanism, playing a central role in the establishment of the African Union (AU) and the Community of Sahel and Saharan States (CEN-SAD). The paper details Libya's efforts to act as a peace broker, specifically in the Chad-Sudan conflict, and its use of 'chequebook diplomacy' through development aid and capital investments via companies like LAAICO and LAFICO.

• Between 1970 and the mid-1990s, Libya's foreign policy was driven by pan-Arabism and the ambition of Arab unity, which led to the support of armed opposition movements globally and within Africa.
• Libya's historical destabilization efforts in Africa included supporting the FROLINAT in Chad, attempting to overthrow the regime of Jaafar Numayri in Sudan, and providing weapons and guerrilla training to Charles Taylor's rebellion in Liberia and the RUF in Sierra Leone.
• Since the late 1990s, Libya shifted toward pan-Africanism, transitioning from an 'arsonist' to a 'peace broker' and 'development partner', a change partly motivated by African solidarity during Libya's period of Western sanctions.
• Muammar Qaddafi was a primary driver in the creation of the African Union (AU), providing over one million dollars for the transition from the OAU and remaining one of the 'Big Five' financial contributors, together providing 75 per cent of the AU budget.
• Libya established the Community of Sahel-Saharan States (CEN-SAD) in 1998 as a Regional Economic Community headquartered in Tripoli to promote socio-economic development and regional integration.
• Libya has attempted to mediate conflicts in Central Africa, notably brokering the Tripoli Agreement of 8 February 2006 to settle disputes between Chad and Sudan, though the two countries remained in a 'quasi-state of belligerence'.
• Libya employs 'chequebook diplomacy' through the Libyan Fund for Aid and Development in Africa and capital investments via the Libyan Arab African Investment Company (LAAICO) and the Libyan Arab Foreign Investment Company (LAFICO) in sectors such as hotels, real estate, and mining across more than 25 African countries.

APA

Ibrahim, A. (2009). Libya: A Critical Review of Tripoli’s Sub-Saharan African Policies. Institute for Security Studies. https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/23NOV09LIBYA.PDF

Chicago

Ibrahim, Amira. Libya: A Critical Review of Tripoli’s Sub-Saharan African Policies. Institute for Security Studies, 2009. https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/23NOV09LIBYA.PDF.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Ibrahim |first1=Amira |title=Libya: A Critical Review of Tripoli’s Sub-Saharan African Policies |publisher=Institute for Security Studies |date=23 November 2009 |url=https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/23NOV09LIBYA.PDF |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{ibrahim2009libya, author = {Ibrahim, Amira}, title = {{Libya: A Critical Review of Tripoli’s Sub-Saharan African Policies}}, institution = {Institute for Security Studies}, year = {2009}, month = nov, url = {https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/23NOV09LIBYA.PDF}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }