The key question for the oil markets, though, is does this influx of Western firms signal a genuinely more stable political backdrop in Libya that will allow it to finally make good on its oil potential? There is certainly plenty of this to work with, as Libya remains the holder of Africa’s largest proved crude oil reserves, of 48 billion barrels. That said, NOC plans were in place before 2011 to roll out enhanced oil recovery (EOR) techniques to increase crude oil production at maturing oil fields and the NOC’s predictions of being able to increase capacity by around 775,000 bpd through EOR at existing oil fields looked well-founded. Around 80% of all of Libya’s currently discovered recoverable reserves are located in the Sirte basin, which also accounts for most of the country’s oil production capacity, according to the Energy Information Administration. The SPO’s potential success also depends in part on the outcome of the current licensing round, as it needs around US$3-4 billion to reach the initial 2026/27 1.6 million bpd production target.

Libya recorded record oil revenues of $21.9 billion in 2025, up 15% compared to the previous year. This performance is explained by an average production of 1.374 million barrels per day, the highest in ten years, for a total of 501 million barrels produced. Production ContextThe National Oil Corporation (NOC) confirmed these high production levels thanks to relatively stable operations at key sites such as the Sirte Basin. The NOC now aims for 1.6 million barrels per day by the end of 2026, with investments of $3 billion to $4 billion. This dynamism, despite 90% of budget revenues being dependent on oil, underscores a security challenge and the under-exploitation of gas (Africa’s fifth-largest reserves).

Libya’s Air Ambulance Service announced its Annual Activity Report for 2025 today revealing that it had conducted 588 flights from 1 January to 31 December. – Tripoli Mitiga Airport/Tunis flights ranked first with 173 flights, followed by Misrata/Tunis with 65 flights, and then Mitiga/Egypt with 47 flights. – Flights were also recorded to various countries, including Turkey with 26 flights, Italy/Rome with 9 flights, Germany 7 flights, as well as flights to Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Serbia, and France. The Air Ambulance Service said this reflects the high level of trust the community places in the Service’s rapid response and the transport of critical cases. It also said these figures reflect the scale of the efforts exerted by the Air Ambulance Service’s teams in responding swiftly and transporting critical cases, ensuring the continued provision of emergency medical services at the highest level of efficiency and readiness.

The UN Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) has welcomed Libyan-led mediation efforts to resolve the dispute over the constitutional judiciary, including an initiative to form a mediation committee of legal experts. The mission said the committee aims to ensure the continuity of constitutional oversight and to protect the judiciary’s role as a core pillar of the Libyan state, stressing the need for solutions that respect judicial independence and unity. UNSMIL said the committee includes retired judges Hussein Al-Buwaishi and Al-Mabrouk Al-Fakhri, alongside Al-Koni Abouda and lawyer Issam Al-Mawi, all with long experience in Libya’s legal and judicial institutions. The mission urged all concerned parties to cooperate constructively with the committee, saying the initiative is vital to safeguarding judicial consistency and stability across the country.

The Interior Ministry says it has deported a group of undocumented Nigerian migrants through Mitiga International Airport in Tripoli. The move is part of a national programme overseen by the Government of National Unity to return migrants to their countries of origin. The ministry said deportations would continue under a broader plan aimed at tackling irregular migration and reducing migrant flows through Libya, in what it described as an effort to support security and stability in the country.

He noted the United States faces challenges with shale oil production. He added that Libyan oil has a very close geographical location to European markets. Libyan oil is of much higher quality compared to Venezuelan oil. Al-Shuhumi ruled out a direct impact of these developments on Libyan oil in global markets. Increasing oil production requires massive investments.

The Libyan Relief Agency, Benghazi branch, has distributed food assistance to Sudanese refugees residing in the city, in cooperation with the World Food Programme. The initiative comes in response to the increasing needs of refugee families who are experiencing difficult living conditions due to the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Sudan. The agency aims to ensure a minimum level of food security and to reduce the daily hardships faced by these families. The agency stated that the distribution is part of its broader humanitarian plan to support the most vulnerable groups without discrimination, while promoting the values of solidarity and humanitarian cooperation in coordination with local and international partners. It also reaffirmed its commitment to continuing relief and humanitarian programs and to expanding its interventions in order to improve the living conditions of refugees and displaced persons, reflecting its ongoing humanitarian role within the community.

The High Council of State (HCS) has voted to elect Salah Al-Kumayshi as head of the National High Electoral Commission (HNEC) after he secured 63 votes in a second round of voting. His rival, Al-Aref Al-Tair, received 33 votes. A total of 103 members took part in the runoff, out of 107 who attended the session. There has been no immediate response from the House of Representatives or from the current leadership of the electoral commission regarding the Council’s decision. The House of Representatives ruled last week to keep the existing commission board in place, while proceeding with the election of vacant posts.

A fire broke out on Monday in one of the departments at Abu Salim Accident Hospital, causing some material damage, according to hospital officials. In a statement posted on its official channels, the hospital said firefighting teams brought the blaze under control and extinguished it without any reported injuries. The hospital added that the fire occurred on the first floor, which is currently undergoing maintenance and was not hosting any patients at the time. No cause for the fire has so far been disclosed.

The Albarari Nature Conservation has warned of a rapid decline in the population of the Barbary partridge in Libya, raising concerns about the risk of extinction. The organization noted that the species is particularly threatened in the central region, as well as in Tarhuna and Al-Khums, attributing the decline mainly to excessive hunting and the illegal trade in live birds. It also emphasized that the continuation of these practices endangers the partridge’s breeding cycle and disrupts ecological balance, cautioning that Libya could witness a repeat of the sharp population decline previously recorded in the Western Mountain region and Misrata.

Turkey’s parliament has approved a 24-month extension of its military deployment in Libya, running through early 2028. Turkey’s military footprint serves as a force multiplier for its broader Eastern Mediterranean strategy, where unresolved maritime delimitation disputes with Greece, Cyprus, and Egypt intersect with competing energy development claims. By maintaining its western Libya position, Turkey ensures it retains a seat at any future negotiating table concerning Libya’s political architecture or resource allocation frameworks. The international community’s effective acquiescence to indefinite foreign deployments signals a shared assessment that Libya’s political settlement remains beyond near-term reach. The normalization of foreign military deployments as “stabilization contributions” creates precedents that may prove difficult to reverse, even when domestic conditions theoretically support transition to national security arrangements.

The Ministry of Interior of the Government of National Unity has reaffirmed that combating extremism and terrorism is a national priority and a shared responsibility requiring coordinated security, intellectual, and societal efforts. In a statement issued on Sunday to mark the Arab Week for Awareness of the Dangers of Extremism and Terrorism, observed annually from January 4 to 10, the ministry emphasized the importance of unified action to confront extremist ideologies. The ministry renewed its commitment to implementing policies and strategies aimed at enhancing security and stability, countering all forms of extremism through preventive and awareness-based approaches, promoting moderation and tolerance, and strengthening a culture of dialogue while rejecting violence and hatred. It also stressed that community awareness is the first line of defense against extremism and terrorism, noting that security is a collective responsibility founded on cooperation and integration among all relevant institutions and stakeholders.

The Border Guard Service in the Al-Qaryat security sector has arrested 41 illegal migrants of various African nationalities during a security operation. The Border Guard patrols conducted a wide-scale campaign in the areas of Al-Qaryat and Abu Al-Gharb as part of efforts to curb illegal migration. According to the Border Guard Service, the migrants were found inside unlawful locations and hideouts, which were fully evacuated. Legal measures were taken against those detained, and they were transferred to the sector’s headquarters pending handover to the relevant authorities.

Leaders in Venezuela have so far pushed back, at least publicly, calling on the Trump administration to release Maduro. Trump repeated vow US would ‘run’ VenezuelaTrump’s vow to “run” Venezuela, repeated more than half a dozen times at a news conference in Florida on Saturday, sparked concerns among some Democrats. “The whole foreign policy apparatus thinks everything is Libya, everything is Iraq, everything is Afghanistan,” Rubio said. The Trump administration spent months building up American forces in the region and carrying out attacks on boats in the Caribbean Sea and eastern Pacific Ocean for allegedly ferrying drugs. Quiet falls in Venezuela after US operationVenezuela’s government kept operating as usual over the weekend as ministers remained in their posts.

Mali Joins Burkina Faso, Syria, Iran, Libya, Yemen, and More as US Travel Ban Takes Effect, Shaking Global Travel, Business, and Diplomatic RelationsAs of January 1, 2026, a far-reaching travel ban imposed by the U.S. government under President Donald Trump has gone into full effect, radically altering international travel dynamics. The scope of this travel ban is wide, restricting citizens from several African, Middle Eastern, and Asian nations from entering the United States. (Mintz.com)Why the U.S. Government Deemed the Ban NecessaryThe U.S. government’s reasoning for implementing this broad travel ban stems from a national security imperative. As the new 2026 U.S. travel ban becomes a reality, it remains to be seen how long it will remain in place. Conclusion: What This Means for Global TravelersThe impact of this expanded U.S. travel ban is undeniable, and it brings us to a crucial juncture in the ongoing discourse surrounding immigration, global travel restrictions, and international diplomacy.