UN lifts aviation ban on Libya after eleven years of restrictions

Libya's Ministry of Transport confirmed that the United Nations' International Civil Aviation Organization ended the airspace restrictions that had been in place since 2015. The decision, issued on October 23, was announced by ICAO Secretary General Juan Carlos Salazar at a meeting of Middle Eastern civil aviation officials in Doha. The ministry attributed the move to notable progress in the country's aviation sector and increased confidence in its operational safety.

It also highlighted a sharp rise in applications from international airlines seeking permission to traverse Libyan airspace, describing the demand as unprecedented. For the November 2026 to March 2027 winter period, the ministry recorded 61,968 flight permits per month, far above the roughly 2,000 monthly permits of the previous season, promising significant revenue from overflight fees. The ICAO decision will be circulated to all 193 member states for implementation.