Adel Issa, Libya’s former ambassador to Ukraine, has criticised the lack of an official diplomatic reaction to the travel ban imposed by US President Donald Trump, which included Libya among 12 countries restricted from entering the United States.
Writing on Facebook, Issa argued that the Libyan government at the time failed to act in defense of its citizens or to respond through appropriate diplomatic channels. He noted that while Libya recognizes the global influence of the United States, that should not have prevented it from asserting its sovereign right to respond.
“America is the most powerful country on Earth after the will of God,” he wrote, “but this power does not negate the right of other nations to respond when their sovereignty or the rights of their citizens are compromised.”
Issa outlined several diplomatic steps that could have been taken, such as summoning the US ambassador in Tripoli for clarification, issuing public statements, sending a special envoy to Washington, and seeking international dialogue to ease tensions or reverse the decision.
“These are common tools of diplomacy, especially in sensitive situations involving major powers,” he said. “They are not only a means to protect national dignity, but also to maintain balanced relations based on mutual respect.”
He added that the lack of any such response was even more troubling given the public narrative that Libyan-American relations were “at their best” in recent years. “Ironically, we’re supposedly enjoying good relations with the US, yet we remain on their travel blacklist without any explanation or effort to remove us.”
Issa’s remarks point to a broader concern: that Libya’s foreign policy has been reactive rather than proactive, and that the interests of Libyan citizens abroad, especially in matters of international mobility and diplomacy, have not been adequately protected.
