Securing private sector investment as a means to anchor peace in Libya, build resilience and power economic recovery was the main theme of a landmark three-day workshop in the capital Tripoli organized by the African Development Bank and the Ministry of Finance.
Over three days, the Bank – Africa’s leading development finance institution – and Libya’s Finance Ministry brought together more than 80 government leaders, private sector actors, representatives of financial institutions and international partners for the event entitled “Investing for Peace and Progress: Unlocking Private Capital for a Resilient Libya.”
Finance Minister Dr. Khaled Almabrouk Abdalla told the opening session the Libyan government strongly backed private sector-led growth.
“In our aspiring Libya, we firmly believe in the private sector’s vital role in building a prosperous and stable future. Despite years of challenges, Libyan entrepreneurs have shown remarkable resilience,” he said. “With the support of partners like the African Development Bank, we are working to unlock their full potential to contribute to our national recovery.”
Malinne Blomberg, Deputy Director General for North Africa at the African Development Bank, described Libya’s untapped assets, its strategic location, natural wealth, and human capital as “pillars of long-term growth”.
“The private sector holds the key to job creation, innovation, and community trust,” she said. “With the right tools and partnerships, we expect Libya to turn its potential into tangible progress.”
The Bank is currently supporting Libya with in-depth diagnostics on private sector development and investment, identifying promising sectors such as renewable energy, agribusiness and ICT.
Yero Baldeh, Director of the Bank’s Transition States Coordination Office, underscored the link between investment and stability: “We need to make a dedicated effort in Libya to catalyze the private sector so that it becomes an engine for peace and resilience, and this is why we are here,” he stated. “At the African Development Bank, we’ve seen firsthand how public-private partnerships can stimulate economic recovery and signal that a country is ready for investment.”
From Ideas to Action
The participatory workshop went beyond speeches, with focused technical sessions aimed at shaping bankable projects in sectors like clean energy and agribusiness value chains. Participants worked across public and private lines to identify practical pathways to financing recovery—including blended finance, Islamic finance, and risk sharing.
A key outcome was a draft Resilience Investment Roadmap, designed to guide priority actions and partnerships that will help grow Libya’s private sector and accelerate its recovery.
The African Development Bank reaffirmed its commitment to staying the course with Libya, helping mobilize capital, build investor confidence, and scale local innovation.
