Relationship dossier
The Gambia
Libya
Relationship assessment
Past political ties and Libyan support were followed by The Gambia’s recognition of Libya’s transitional authorities in 2011.
The Gambia toward Libya
+25In 2011, The Gambia recognized Libya’s National Transitional Council, supporting the new Libyan authorities during the political transition.
Libya toward The Gambia
+30During Muammar Gaddafi’s rule, Libya provided political and financial support to the Gambian government; the scale and terms of that support are unclear.
Overall relationship
+25The relationship included political alignment and Libyan support for The Gambia under Gaddafi, followed by The Gambia’s recognition of Libya’s National Transitional Council in 2011. The extent to which these ties continued after Libya’s transition is uncertain.
How to read these scores
Scores are rough judgments, not objective measurements or current verification. Directional scores describe government policy and conduct, not public opinion. The overall score is an independent estimate, never an average.
- −100
- Extreme sustained hostility
- −50
- Substantially adversarial
- 0
- Mixed or neutral, supported by knowledge
- +50
- Substantially cooperative
- +100
- Exceptionally close sustained partnership
“Not assessed” means there is no recorded score. Pair existence makes no claim about diplomatic recognition or established relations.
Relationship context
Overview
The Gambia and Libya had close political ties during Muammar Gaddafi’s rule, including Libyan support for the Gambian government. In 2011, The Gambia recognized Libya’s National Transitional Council, marking a shift in its relations as Libya’s political order changed. The breadth and continuity of bilateral cooperation after that transition are unclear.
Key developments
The Gambia recognized Libya’s National Transitional Council during the Libyan uprising and political transition.
Major uncertainties
- The scale and terms of Libyan support and investment in The Gambia are unclear.
- The scope and continuity of government cooperation after Libya’s 2011 political transition are uncertain.