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Tripoli Centre Municipality begins development of BaladiyaBOT for digital municipal services
via Libya Herald1 min read
The Municipality of Tripoli Centre announced on April 19 the initiation of BaladiyaBOT's development, a digital assistant aimed at improving citizen access to municipal services. This initiative, part of Germany's GIZ's Support to Municipalities in Libya SML programme, seeks to enhance digital service delivery at the local level. BaladiyaBOT is designed to extend the physical Citizen Service Centre, offering digital channels to make services more accessible, inclusive, and responsive. The development will be piloted in Tripoli Centre, with testing and refinement in collaboration with municipal staff and citizens, before being rolled out to other municipalities across Libya. BaladiyaBOT aims to simplify access to services and information, improve transparency, and support efficient, citizen-oriented service delivery. The pilot is in cooperation with the Ministry of Local Government, with national scaling planned after full development. This initiative is supported by the SML III programme, funded by the European Union in Libya and the Bundesministerium für wirtschaftliche Zusammenarbeit und Entwicklung BMZ, and implemented by GIZ in partnership with the Libyan Ministry of Local Government and 30 municipalities.
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The Libyan Customs Authority announced on April 25 that it has signed a cooperation memorandum with the US company Culmen International. This agreement aims to enhance technical and human capacities within the Customs Authority, particularly at border crossings. The partnership will focus on training programs for customs officers stationed at the Ras Ajdir and Wazen land border crossings with Tunisia. The objective is to improve detection capabilities and supply modern equipment to boost efficiency. The Customs Authority stated that this collaboration supports the adoption of international best practices in inspection and border security, building upon the existing Early Border Detection Project. This initiative is expected to contribute to stronger border control and the protection of the national economy. Culmen International has a history of providing training in Libya since 2019, primarily to the Libyan Civil Aviation and Airports Authority, as part of efforts to lift the EU flight ban.
The Libyan Civil Aviation Authority has approved Ansett Aviation Italia, a Milan-based flight simulator training center, to provide training for Libyan aviation personnel. This approval grants Libyan trainees access to Ansett Aviation Italia’s Approved Training Organization ATO and its AVRO FFS Full Flight Simulator. Located at Milan Malpensa International Airport, the center offers Type Ratings and recurrent training for aircraft such as the AVRO RJ-85/100, Airbus A320, Boeing B737NG, and Viking CL-415. This initiative aims to enhance the operational capabilities of Libyan air operators through high-quality simulator training, supporting the training and qualification framework for the Libyan aviation sector. This development is part of broader efforts in North Africa to improve aviation standards and follows increased cooperation between Italy and Libya on aviation, including a technical agreement signed in March 2025 to train Libyan pilots in Italy to support the restructuring of the Libyan aviation sector.
Tunisia's Ministry of Transport announced the launch of a new regular international shipping line, with the Port of Zarzis receiving its first container ship. This new line connects the Tunisian commercial ports of Zarzis and Rades with Italy's Gioia Tauro and Libya's Tripoli port. The ministry stated that this initiative aims to boost economic activity and trade in southeastern Tunisia, addressing requests from companies in the region involved in export activities through the Zarzis commercial port. It also seeks to encourage investment by reducing transportation costs and transit times and utilizing the port's resources. Additionally, the commercial port of Zarzis is preparing for dredging works by the end of this year to accommodate larger vessels with an 11-meter draft for commercial and cruise ship traffic, while also enhancing maritime navigation safety.
The Central Bank of Libya CBL, through its Governor and Chairman of the Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorism Financing Committee, has increased the cash currency limit that passengers must declare upon entering or leaving Libya. The new ceiling for authorized cash amounts has been raised from $10,000 to $30,000. This decision aims to encourage the inflow of currency into Libya and enhance transparency. The CBL also issued instructions for all ports of entry to display signboards and provide designated areas for completing declaration forms, as part of broader efforts to regulate the movement of funds.