Libya and the United States have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to enhance bilateral cooperation in combating drug trafficking and organized crime, marking a new phase in the two countries’ security partnership.
The signing ceremony took place on Thursday at the Libyan Embassy in Cairo, attended by Ambassador Abdel-Mutalib Thabet, Libya’s Permanent Representative to the Arab League and acting head of the embassy.
According to a statement issued by the embassy, the agreement reflects Libya’s strategic direction toward reinforcing international collaboration in the fight against narcotics and psychotropic substances. It also crowns years of sustained security and diplomatic coordination between Tripoli and Washington.
The MoU was signed by Major General Khaled Al-Mabrouk Abdel-Nabi, Head of Libya’s General Directorate for Combating Narcotics and Psychotropic Substances, and Jason Schumacher, Regional Director for the Middle East and Africa at the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).
Step Toward Broader U.S.–Libya Security Cooperation
Ambassador Thabet said the MoU underscores Libya’s political will to engage in international partnerships and to build an integrated framework for drug control, based on information-sharing, training, and advanced technologies.
He described the agreement as a “qualitative leap” in Libya–U.S. security cooperation, aimed at promoting regional stability and protecting societies from the growing threat of narcotics.
The embassy statement noted that the MoU follows a series of joint initiatives, including a Libyan delegation visit to AFRICOM headquarters in Germany and Libya’s participation in the IDEA Conference in the United States—both reaffirming Libya’s commitment to global counter-narcotics efforts.
The agreement paves the way for enhanced collaboration in training, intelligence exchange, and capacity building, contributing to Libya’s national security and supporting international efforts to combat cross-border drug trafficking.
