Trade between Libya and Italy has suffered a dramatic decline in the first half of 2025, dropping 21% to €4.76 billion compared to €6.02 billion during the same period last year, according to data from the Italian Trade Agency cited by Nova News Agency.
The sharp downturn has been driven primarily by collapsing Libyan oil and gas exports to Italy. Libyan exports fell 25.3%, from €4.25 billion to €3.17 billion, with crude oil supplies bearing the brunt of the decline. Crude exports plummeted from €6.5 billion in 2023 to just €3.3 billion by mid-2025, while export volumes dropped 15.7% from 8.97 million tons to 7.56 million tons.
Natural gas exports showed mixed signals, with values rising slightly by 3% to €267 million even as volumes decreased by 4%, reflecting broader instability in global energy markets.
Italian exports to Libya also weakened, falling 14.4% to approximately €1.6 billion as reduced energy flows and lower industrial demand took their toll on bilateral trade.
Despite remaining one of Libya’s principal trading partners, Italy faces continued pressure in its commercial relationship with the North African nation. Analysts warn that ongoing volatility in oil prices and production constraints in Libya are likely to keep bilateral trade under strain in the coming months.
Source: northafricapost.com