Expertise France in Libya
Since 2011, Libya has been through a period of political instability with major economic repercussions. Today, the country remains marked by this difficult context which bears heavily on the country’s economy and poses problems for the employability of Libyan youth.
As a public international technical cooperation agency, Expertise France has been operating uninterruptedly in Libya since 2016, demonstrating its operational agility in crisis contexts. This commitment is translated into action among a wide array of Libyan actors – national and local authorities, universities, chambers of commerce, small and medium-sized enterprises, civil society – which all look beyond the crisis. The agency’s operations pay particular attention to issues related to the modernisation of institutions, the inclusion of people and territories, and the revitalisation of Libya’s economy.
On 26 October 2021, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of the Government of Libya in Tripoli, making Expertise France the first technical cooperation agency officially recognised in the country.
Expertise France works on three priority thematic areas and is currently implementing three national projects in Libya with a total volume of activity of €7.2 million. The European Union is the agency’s main partner in the country with two national projects financed for a total amount of €6.5 million. Libya is also a focus of several regional projects.
Supporting the private sector and entrepreneurship
The agency works alongside Libyan actors to strengthen the capacities of Libyan institutions, develop entrepreneurship with a focus on women and young people, facilitate access to financing, and support the implementation of training for entrepreneurship.
Ongoing project to support the private sector and entrepreneurship
Raqameyon - empowering tomorrow’s digital innovators in Libya
2023-2024 – €0.7m (French Government)
Raqameyon aims to support the digital transition in Libya by contributing to the diversification of the job market and focusing on the digital economy. This one-year project is financed by the French Government and implemented by Expertise France in collaboration with the Libyan Government.
More on Raqameyon 
Past projects to support the private sector and entrepreneurship
SLEIDSE - Promoting entrepreneurship and SME development in Libya
2016-2020 – €8.6m (European Union and French State)
Microfinance (MFI) Namaa Tamweel - Facilitating access to financing for Libyan microentrepreneurs
2018-2020 – €2m (UK Government)
STREAM - Supporting Libya’s innovation ecosystem
2018-2020 – €2m (UK Government)
Social Entrepreneurship Initiative - Bootcamps programme for young entrepreneurs
2019-2020 – €500,000 (UNICEF and European Union)
EU4PSL - Supporting the improvement of the business climate in Libya
2019-2022 – €10m (European Union)
RAQAM-E - Promoting the economic integration of young people and women in Libya
2020-2022 – €1.5m (French State)
Supporting economic and financial governance
The projects under this component aim to strengthen the capacities of economic institutions, in particular the Ministry of Economy, and support the digitalisation of the economy towards sustainable and inclusive development, while reducing the digital divide. Expertise France also operates in the field of taxation on improving the collection of tax and non-tax revenues at national level. The objective is to give the Libyan Government the means to finance essential public services and increase the resilience of the economy following the health crisis.
Ongoing project to support economic and financial governance
E-NABLE - Working towards a resilient Libyan economy
2022-2025 – €5m (European Union)
The E-NABLE project aims to improve the capacities of key economic institutions for a sustainable, diversified, and digital economic recovery. The objective is to institutionalise the private sector’s economic growth with the support of both private and public sector organisations.
Learn more about E-NABLE
Past project to support economic and financial governance
PAMRI -Technical assistance to the tax administration
2020-2023 – €0.9m (French State)
Strengthening health systems
Expertise France contributes to strengthening Libya’s health system, in close cooperation with national authorities, by assisting them in implementing the priorities set out in their national health plans.
Ongoing project to strengthen the blood transfusion system
MENDAMI 2
2023-2025 – €1.5m (European Union)
MENDAMI 2 aims to contribute to increasing the Libyan National Blood Transfusion System’s capacities and thereby build its local and national resilience. This second phase of the project instils the critical concept of “Quality Management” and “Quality Culture” into the Libyan Blood Transfusion System at both national and local levels.
Learn more on Mendami 2
Past project to strengthen the blood transfusion system
MENDAMI - Improving the process to collect and use blood
2018-2021 – €1.826m (European Union / Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs)
Integrating Libya into regional projects
Libya is among the countries targeted by several regional projects for which the agency provides French technical expertise in the fields of counterterrorism, gender equality and the green and circular economy.
Ongoing regional projects in Libya
CT-JUST
2020-2026 – €12m (including €5.57m allocated to Expertise France) (European Union)
This project aims to strengthen the capacities of the criminal justice authorities in the field of counterterrorism in the MENA region, the Sahel and the Horn of Africa. With this operation, Expertise France and its partners are ensuring that the measures taken comply with countries’ obligations under international law.
Ajyal Al Egalité
2022-2025 – €4m (Agence Française de Développement)
With the Ajyal Al Egalité project, Expertise France is working to reduce gender inequalities by supporting civil society associations and alternative media. In Libya, the activities more specifically focus on women’s economic empowerment (launched planned in the first quarter of 2024).
Development prospects
Expertise France intends to strengthen its presence in Libya by continuing its activities in the fields of the economy and health. The agency also wishes to diversify its activities, for example, in connection with requests for cooperation from Libyan counterparts in the fields of justice and heritage.
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