Devolution of Libya's Ports Governance: Reasons and Challenges

Libya's strategic location, in the middle of the northern coast of Africa, means that the country can play a vital role in trade between the world's regions. The state has recently encouraged this by establishing free trade zones and a network of roads to connect the state with other African countries. Since suspension of the United Nations sanctions in 1999, which had been imposed on Libya since 1992, the country's economy has been growing. Improvement and development of Libya's port sector has become very important so that it can cope with this growth. Devolution of the governance of Libyan ports is a requirement for this. The reasons that have contributed to this action are discussed in this article. However, prior to any attempt to devolve the sector's governance, there are a variety of challenges that need to be dealt with carefully. These challenges are discussed in this article. This article is based on interviews with key people in Libya who have shipping expertise.