The Tripoli based Libyan government, through its Ministry of Transport, announced today that it had signed a strategic cooperation agreement with the American company Boeing during an official ceremony held at the office of US Secretary of State Marco Rubio. The agreement aims to develop and modernize the civil aviation sector in Libya.
The Libyan government stated that the agreement stipulates:
- support for programmes to acquire modern aircraft
- enhancing technical and technological cooperation
- contributing to developing the aviation sector’s infrastructure in accordance with international standards.
The signing ceremony was attended by Senior Advisor to the US President, Massad Boulos, a delegation from the Tripoli government, and several officials from the US State Department.
In his remarks, the US President’s Advisor emphasized the importance of strengthening the Libyan-American partnership, praising the progress made on economic issues, particularly the agreement on a unified budget. He considered this step a launchpad for expanding cooperation in the areas of development and investment.
Participants also stressed the importance of the agreement in supporting plans to develop air transport and strengthening the strategic partnership between Libya and the United States.
This agreement is a pivotal step towards enhancing the efficiency of the civil aviation sector and strengthening its operational and technical capabilities, thereby supporting economic development and bolstering regional and international air connectivity.
The Tripoli government delegation includes the Minister of Transport / Financial Advisor to the Prime Minister, Mohamed Al-Shahoubi; the Minister of Economy and Trade, Suhail Abu Shiha; the Minister of Oil and Gas, Khalifa Abdel Sadig; the Head of the Executive Team for the PM’s Initiatives and Strategic Projects, Mustafa Al-Mana; and the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Libyan Investment Authority, Ali Mahmoud.
The signing of this strategic agreement follows on from several meetings / virtual meetings held between the Libyan side and Boeing.
A virtual meeting had been held on 11 March as part of the ‘‘Libyan-American Partnership’’ between the Prime Minister’s Initiative team for the establishment of the new national airline (LUA – Libyan United Airlines) with the team from Boeing.
The Libyan government had said this meeting comes within the framework of the Tripoli Prime Minister Aldabaiba’s vision to enhance the infrastructure of the air transport sector and support the diversification of the national economy.
The meeting came as part of a series of technical meetings to complete the technical and commercial aspects of the project, in preparation for moving to the executive stages of the new carrier’s establishment, after the adoption of the White Paper for the partnership between the two sides in a previous meeting in the presence of the Minister of Transport.
Earlier meetings
As mentioned, this virtual meeting follows on from a series of face-to-face and virtual meetings held between the two sides.
Washington DC 2025 face-to-face meeting
It will be recalled that the two parties had first held a face-to-face meeting in Washington DC on the sidelines of the Annual Meetings of the IMF and World Bank held in Washington, D.C. from 13 to 18 October 2025.
During the meeting, the frameworks of the strategic partnership (the Executive Programme for Cooperation) between the two parties were reviewed, which includes providing technical, advisory and commercial support to modernize the Libyan civil aviation sector in accordance with international standards and best operational practices.
December 2025 meeting – Boeing’s White Paper approved
A second virtual meeting was then held in December 2025 which focused on following up on the Executive Programme for Cooperation between the two based on the outcomes of the October Washington DC meeting.
During the meeting, the White Paper presented by Boeing was approved, and it was agreed that the partnership’s executive programme would commence at the beginning of January.
Boeing affirmed its commitment to cooperating with the Tripoli government, considering it part of the strategic partnership between Libya and the United States.
This partnership falls within the government’s efforts to develop the capabilities of the Libyan aviation sector in the areas of domestic and international passenger and cargo transport, training, and the establishment of advanced maintenance centers, in conjunction with plans to develop and build new airports and launch the airline holding company.
January 2026 meeting
In January this year the Tripoli government reported that its team held another (virtual) meeting with Boeing which included the Chargé d’affaires of the US Embassy in Libya, Jeremy Berndt.
In its report the Tripoli Libyan government said that in implementation of Prime Minister Aldabaiba’s initiative to develop the transportation sector in Libya, it has begun taking practical steps to establish a holding company specializing in the aviation sector, as part of a plan to revitalize the transportation sector.
A comprehensive survey of the Libyan market
The government reported that the January 2026 meeting included a comprehensive survey of the Libyan market and the identification of the technical and operational requirements for launching the company, as well as discussions on the steps for its official registration and establishment.
Cooperation with Boeing
The January meeting also addressed determining the size of the aircraft fleet, training and development programmes for national personnel, and areas of cooperation between the government and Boeing to support the implementation of the initiative.
It will also be recalled that the new name (Libyan United Airlines – LUA), logo and CEO of the new carrier have been made public.
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