List of international trips made by Muammar Gaddafi

Gaddafi with President Dmitry Medvedev in Moscow, 2008

This is a list of international trips made by Muammar Gaddafi , the de facto leader of Libya, from 1969 to 2011. He was Chairman of the Libyan Revolutionary Command Council from 1969 to 1977 and Brotherly Leader and Guide of the Revolution from 1977 to 2011.

Summary

The number of visits per country where Muammar Gaddafi traveled are:

• One visit to Austria, Belarus, Belgium, Benin, China, Ghana, Greece, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Hungary, Indonesia, Jordan, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, North Korea, Pakistan, Philippines, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Spain, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Togo, United States, Ukraine, Venezuela, Vietnam, Zambia, and Zimbabwe
• Two visits to Bulgaria, France, the Gambia, Iraq, Morocco, Mozambique, Nigeria, Poland, Qatar, South Africa, and Uganda
• Three visits to the Soviet Union, Sudan, Syria, and Chad
• Four visits to Ethiopia, Italy and Malta
• Five visits to Algeria and Yugoslavia
• Seven visits to Tunisia
• Fourteen visits to Egypt

1970s

Country	Areas visited	Date(s)	Details
Egypt	Cairo	11 June 1970	Working visit. Met with President Gamal Abdel Nasser. [1]
Egypt		August 1970
Egypt	Cairo	21–27 September 1970	Attended the Arab League emergency summit.
Egypt	Cairo	1 October 1970	Attended the state funeral of Gamal Abdel Nasser. [2]
Syria	Damascus	16 November 1970	[3]
Tunisia	Tunis	February 1971	[4]
Sudan		February 1972
Egypt		1–4 May 1972
Tunisia	Tunis	December 1972	[4]
Egypt	Cairo	7 February 1973
Algeria	Algiers	5–9 September 1973	Attended the 4th Summit of the Non-Aligned Movement. [5]
Yugoslavia	Belgrade, Valjevo and Sarajevo	19–23 November 1973	Working visit. Met with President Josip Broz Tito. [6] Discussed military aid and the Arab-Israeli conflict. [7]
France	Paris	23–24 November 1973	Working visit. Met with President Georges Pompidou and Prime Minister Pierre Messmer. [8]
Malta		25–26 November 1973	Working visit. [9]
Pakistan	Lahore	22–24 February 1974	Attended the 2nd Islamic Summit of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation. [10]
Niger		7–11 March 1974
Egypt	Alexandria	17–18 August 1974	Working visit. Met with Egyptian President Anwar Sadat and Emirati President Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan. [11]
Malta	Valletta	19–23 December 1974	Working visit. Opened the Libyan Arab Cultural Institute in Valletta. [12]
Malta		December 1975
Malta		21–25 May 1976	[12]
Yugoslavia	Belgrade	June 1976
Sri Lanka	Colombo	16–19 August 1976	Attended the 5th Summit of the Non-Aligned Movement. [13]
Soviet Union	Moscow	6–9 December 1976	Working visit. Met with General Secretary Leonid Brezhnev, Premier Alexei Kosygin and Minister of Foreign Affairs Andrei Gromyko. [14]
Togo		28 January – 1 February 1977
Yugoslavia	Brijuni	21–25 June 1977	Working visit. Met with President Josip Broz Tito. [15]
Algeria	Algiers	February 1978	Attended the Steadfastness and Confrontation Front summit. [16]
Bulgaria	Sofia	June 1978
Hungary	Budapest	June 1978
Poland	Warsaw	1 July 1978	Working visit. Met with First Secretary Edward Gierek and Chairman of the Council of State Henryk Jabłoński.
Iraq	Baghdad	2–5 November 1978	Attended the Arab League emergency summit.
Syria		June 1979
Qatar	Doha	July 1979

1980s

Country	Areas visited	Date(s)	Details
Soviet Union	Moscow	27–29 April 1981	Working visit. Met with General Secretary Leonid Brezhnev. [17]
Yugoslavia	Belgrade	29 April–1 May 1981	[18]
Ethiopia	Addis Ababa	August 1981
Tunisia		25 January 1982	Working visit. Met with Prime Minister Mohammed Mzali. [19]
Austria	Vienna	10–14 March 1982	Working visit. [20]
Poland	Warsaw	15 September 1982	Working visit. Met with First Secretary Wojciech Jaruzelski.
China		October 1982	Working visit. Met with Paramount Leader Deng Xiaoping. Visited the Great Wall of China. [21]
North Korea	Pyongyang	October 1982	Working visit. Met with President Kim Il-sung and signed a ten-year friendship treaty. [22]
Yugoslavia		2–6 November 1982	[23]
Tunisia		13–18 December 1982
Bulgaria		17–21 January 1983	Working visit. Signed the Bulgarian-Libyan Friendship and Co-operation Treaty. [24]
Romania		21–24 January 1983	Working visit. Met with President Nicolae Ceaușescu. [25]
Benin		April 1983
Nigeria		25–28 April 1983
Morocco	Oujda	13 August 1984	Met with King Hassan II. Signed the Oujda Treaty. [26]
Greece	Elounda	15 November 1984	Met with French President François Mitterrand and Greek Prime Minister Andreas Papandreou. Discussed a proposed mutual military withdrawal from the Chadian–Libyan War. [27]
Soviet Union	Moscow	10 October 1985	Working visit. Met with General Secretary Mikhail Gorbachev. [28]
Senegal		December 1985
Zimbabwe	Harare	1–6 September 1986	Attended the 8th Summit of the Non-Aligned Movement. [29]
Algeria	Algiers	7–9 June 1988	Attended the Arab League emergency summit. [30]
Morocco	Marrakech	17 February 1989	Signed the founding treaty of the Arab Maghreb Union. [31]
Egypt	Mersa Matruh	16 October 1989	Held talks with President Hosni Mubarak and agreed to reestablish Egypt-Libya relations. [32]

1990s

Country	Areas visited	Date(s)	Details	Image
Yemen	Sanaa	22 May 1990	Met with President Ali Abdullah Saleh
Iraq	Baghdad	28–30 May 1990	Attended the Arab League summit [33]
Egypt	Cairo	29 November 1991	Working visit. Met with President Hosni Mubarak. [34]
Egypt	Cairo	25–27 May 1996	Met with President Hosni Mubarak.
Egypt	Cairo	22–23 June 1996	Attended the Arab League summit. [35]
Nigeria	Abuja and Kano	8–10 May 1997	Met with head of state Sani Abacha. Celebrated the Islamic New Year. [36] [37]
Chad		2–5 May 1998
South Africa	Cape Town, Robben Island, Pretoria and Soweto	13–15 June 1999	Met with President Nelson Mandela. Attended the inauguration ceremony of Thabo Mbeki. Visited Robben Island. [38] [39]
Algeria	Algiers	12–14 July 1999	Attended the Organization of African Union summit. [40]
Chad		1999

2000s

Country	Areas visited	Date(s)	Details
Saudi Arabia	Riyadh	11–12 October 2000	Working visit. Met with Crown Prince Abdullah of Saudi Arabia and King Fahd of Saudi Arabia. Discussed bilateral Libyan-Saudi Arabian relations and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. [41]
Jordan	Amman	27–28 March 2001	Attended the Arab League summit. [42]
Zambia	Lusaka	9–11 July 2001	Attended the final summit of the Organization of African Unity. [43]
South Africa	Durban	28 June–10 July 2002	Attended the founding summit of the African Union. [44]
Egypt	Sharm el-Sheikh	1 March 2003	Attended the Arab League summit. [45]
Tunisia	Tunis	19–23 May 2003	[46]
Mozambique	Maputo	2–12 July 2003	Attended the African Union summit. [47]
Indonesia	Jakarta	23–26 February 2004	[48]
Philippines	Manila	26–27 February 2004	State visit. Met with President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo.
Vietnam	Hanoi	27–28 February 2004	State Visit. Met with General Secretary Nông Đức Mạnh and President Trần Đức Lương and Prime Minister Phan Văn Khải, and discussed about the ways to develop relations between the two countries in various fields.
Thailand	Bangkok	28–29 February 2004	State Visit. Met with King Bhumibol Adulyadej and Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra.
Belgium	Brussels	27–29 April 2004	Working visit. Met with President of the European Commission Romano Prodi and Belgian Prime Minister Guy Verhofstadt. Visited the headquarters of the European Commission and the Palais d’Egmont. [49]
Tunisia	Tunis	22 May 2004	Attended the Arab League summit. Withdrew from the summit following disagreements over its agenda. [50]
Algeria	Algiers	22–23 March 2005	Attended the Arab League summit. [51]
Mozambique	Maputo	5–7 October 2005	State Visit. Met with President Armando Guebuza.
Sudan	Khartoum	28–30 March 2006	Attended the Arab League summit. [52]
Mali	Timbuktu	April 2006	Celebrated Mawlid. [53]
The Gambia	Banjul	25 June–2 July 2006	Attended the 7th African Union summit. Mediated talks between Sudanese president Omar al-Bashir and Chadian president Idriss Déby. [54]
Ghana	Accra	25 June–6 July 2007	Attended the 9th African Union summit. [55]
Portugal	Lisbon	8–9 December 2007	Attended the 2nd European Union–African Union Summit. [56]
France	Paris	10–14 December 2007	State visit. Met with President Nicolas Sarkozy. [57]
Spain	Madrid	15–18 December 2007	State visit. Met with King Juan Carlos and Prime Minister José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero. [58]
Ethiopia	Addis Ababa	25 January–2 February 2008	Attended the African Union summit. [59]
Uganda	Kampala	13–17 March 2008	Attended the Afro-Arab youth festival. [60]
Syria	Damascus	28–29 March 2008	Attended the Arab League summit. [61] [62]
Tunisia	Tunis	4–8 August 2008	Met with President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali. Attended the inauguration of the Omar El Mokhtar housing project. Delivered a lecture at Carthage University. [63]
Russia	Moscow	31 October–2 November 2008	State visit. Met with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev and Prime Minister Vladimir Putin. [64]
Belarus	Minsk	2–4 November 2008	Met with Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko. [65]
Ukraine	Kiev	4–6 November 2008	State visit. Met with Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko and Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko. [66]
Guinea	Conakry	3 January 2009	Working visit. Met with transitional President Moussa Dadis Camara and Prime Minister Kabiné Komara. [67] [68]
Ethiopia	Addis Ababa	26 January–3 February 2009	Attended the African Union summit. Elected Chairperson of the African Union. [69]
Mauritania	Nouakchott	March 2009	Working visit. Met with President Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz. [70]
Guinea-Bissau	Bissau	12–13 March 2009	Met with acting President Raimundo Pereira.
Qatar	Doha	31 March 2009	Attended the Arab League summit. [71] [72]
Italy	Rome	10–13 June 2009	State visit. Met with Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi. [73] [74]
Italy	L’Aquila	8–10 July 2009	Attended the 35th G8 Summit. [75]
Egypt	Sharm el-Sheikh	11–16 July 2009	Attended the 15th Summit of the Non-Aligned Movement. [76]
The Gambia	Banjul	21–23 July 2009	Attended the 15th anniversary celebration of the 1994 Gambian coup d'état. Met with President Yahya Jammeh. [77]
United States	New York City	22–24 September 2009	First and only official visit to the United States. [78] [79] Addressed the Council on Foreign Relations. [80]
United Nations	New York City	23 September 2009	Addressed the sixty-fourth session of the United Nations General Assembly. [81]
Venezuela	Isla Margarita	25–29 September 2009	Attended the 2nd Africa-South America Summit. Met with President Hugo Chávez. [82] [83]
Italy	Rome	16–18 November 2009	Attended the United Nations World Summit on Food Security. [84]

2010s

Country	Areas visited	Date(s)	Details
Ethiopia	Addis Ababa	25 January–2 February 2010	Attended the 14th African Union summit. [85]
Uganda	Kampala	19–27 July 2010	Attended the 15th African Union summit. [86]
Italy	Rome	29 August–2 September 2010	Met with Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi. [87] [88]
Sudan	Khartoum	21 December 2010	Met with President Omar al-Bashir. [89]
Chad	Ndjamena	11 January 2011	Attended the celebrations of Chad's 50th independence anniversary. [90]

References

1. "سعيد الشحات يكت:ذات يوم..10يونيو 1970عبدالناصر للقذافى: «هدف إسرائيل الأساسى تفتيت الجبهة الشرقية.. وأحد دروس الحرب العالمية الثانية أن قيادات انسحبت فى أولها ثم قادت معارك النصر»". 10 June 2021.
2. "انهيار زعماء الدول.. مشاهد مُبكية من جنازة جمال عبدالناصر". 28 September 2020.
3. "زيارة معمر القذافي إلى سوريا 1970". 5 June 2021.
4. Wright, J. 2008. The Emergence of Libya. London: Silphium Press, 344-5
5. Pick, Hella (September 8, 2015). "From the archive, 8 September 1973: Gaddafi and Castro clash over Soviet Union". The Guardian.
6. Anderson, Raymond H. (November 19, 1973). "Qaddafi and Military Chiefs Visiting Tito". The New York Times.
7. Anderson, Raymond H. (November 21, 1973). "Qaddafi Sees Virtual Alliance Between Libya and Yugoslavia". The New York Times.
8. Times, Flora Lewis Special to The New York (November 24, 1973). "LIBYAN, IN PARIS, MAY REQUEST ARMS". The New York Times– via NYTimes.com.
9. "Gaddafi's relationship with Malta". Times of Malta. October 20, 2011.
10. Khan, Naimat (March 21, 2022). "Veteran journalists recall 1974 OIC Lahore summit where Pakistan finally recognized Bangladesh". Arab News.
11. "Qaddafi Meets Sadat in Egypt In Endeavor to Settle Quarrel". The New York Times. August 18, 1974.
12. Cordina, Joe (August 27, 2005). "Colonel Gaddafi's next visit". Times of Malta.
13. Senanayake, Chamari (August 28, 2011). "When Gaddafi stole the show". The Sunday Times, Sri Lanka.
14. "Qaddafi Ends 4-Day Visit To the Soviet Union". The New York Times. December 10, 1976.
15. Nikša Minić (2011). "Muammar Gaddafi's visit to Yugoslavia on 21-25 June 1977: similarities in views and disagreements in methods" . Histria: Godišnjak Istarskog povijesnog društva = Rivista della Società Storica Istriana = časopis Istrskega zgodovinskega društva = The Istrian Historical Society review. doi:10.1080/13501678308577425 . Retrieved 17 March 2025.
16. Jaabouk, Mohammed (December 9, 2024). "Polisario loses key Middle East ally with El-Assad regime fall". Yabiladi English.
17. Schmemann, Serge (April 28, 1981). "BREZHNEV GIVES A WARM WELCOME TO QUADDAFI AND CRITICIZES THE U.S." The New York Times.
18. "Chronicle of Events, 1 March-30 June 1981" . Soviet Jewish Affairs. 1981. doi:10.1080/13501678108577377 . Retrieved 28 March 2025.
19. "Libyan Leader's Visit Takes Tunisian Officials by Surprise". The New York Times. January 25, 1982.
20. "QADDAFI ENDS 4-DAY AUSTRIA VISIT". The New York Times. March 14, 1982.
21. "حقائق تاريخية تبرهن على أن معمر القذافي لم يكن صديقاً قديماً للصين (خاص)". 21 August 2012.
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23. "Chronicle of Events, 1 November 1982-28 February 1983" . East European Jewish Affairs. 1983. doi:10.1080/13501678308577425 . Retrieved 16 March 2025.
24. "Chronicle of Events, 1 November 1982-28 February 1983" . East European Jewish Affairs. 1983. doi:10.1080/13501678308577425 . Retrieved 16 March 2025.
25. "Qaddafi Lauds Romania". The Washington Post. January 22, 1983.
26. "MOROCCO CANCELING TREATY AIMED AT UNION WITH LIBYA". The New York Times. August 30, 1984.
27. Dobbs, Michael (November 16, 1984). "France-Libya Talks Said to Reaffirm Chad Pullout Pact". The Washington Post.
28. Bohlen, Celestine (October 11, 1985). "Qaddafi, Gorbachev Reach Agreement". The Washington Post.
29. Rule, Sheila (September 5, 1986). "QADDAFI CALLS THIRD WORLD HELPLESS". The New York Times– via NYTimes.com.
30. Ibrahim, Youssef (June 10, 1988). "Qaddafi Among the Arabs: Speaking the Unspeakable". The New York Times– via NYTimes.com.
31. El Atti, Basma (September 13, 2022). "A disunited Maghreb: The colonial roots of regional rivalries". The New Arab.
32. https://www.deseret.com/1989/10/18/18828569/egypt-libya-restore-diplomatic-ties/#:~:text=Published:%20Oct%2018%2C%201989%2C,1979%20peace%20treaty%20with%20Israel "EGYPT, LIBYA RESTORE DIPLOMATIC TIES". Deseret News. October 18, 1989.{{cite news}}: Check |url= value (help)
33. Burns, John F. (August 21, 1990). "Confrontation in the Gulf; Libya Denounces Iraq's Decision to Take Westerners as Hostages". The New York Times.
34. "Qaddafi Scoffs at Demands for Bombing Suspects". The New York Times. November 29, 1991.
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38. McNeil Jr., Donald G. (June 14, 1999). "Qaddafi Gets a Warm Reception From Mandela". The New York Times.
39. "Gaddafi visits Robben Island". BBC News. June 14, 1999.
40. "Gaddafi's failed vision of a United States of Africa - P3". The Citizen. October 24, 2018.
41. "خادم الحرمين يستقبل القذافي في الديوان الملكي استقبال رسمي لقائد الثورة العقيد القذافي عند وصوله الديوان الملكي تقدمه سمو ولي العهد". Al Jazirah. October 11, 2000.
42. Abdallah, Sana (March 25, 2001). "Libyan leader arrives in Jordan for summit". United Press International.
43. "Africa Summit Ends With Pledges to Boost Economies". The New York Times. July 11, 2001.
44. "Gaddafi et al arrive in Durban". News 24. July 7, 2002.
45. Al-Mannawi, Abdullah (March 2, 2003). "Drama At Arab League Summit". Arab News.
46. "الرئيس الليبي معمر القذافي يختتم زيارته الرسمية إلى تونس". 23 May 2003.
47. Peta, Basildon (July 4, 2003). "Gaddafi and Mbeki fight over African parliament". The Independent.
48. Fabiola Desy Unidjaja (January 26, 2004). "Mega to discuss Aceh, military ties with Qaddafi". The Jakarta Post. Archived from the original on April 22, 2014. Retrieved April 22, 2014.
49. Smith, Craig (April 27, 2004). "Qaddafi Makes First Visit to Europe in 15 Years". The New York Times.
50. "Gaddafi walks out of Arab summit". BBC News. May 22, 2004.
51. Fattah, Hassan (March 24, 2005). "Conference of Arab Leaders Yields Little of Significance". The New York Times.
52. "Libyan leader arrives in Khartoum for Arab summit". Sudan Tribune. March 26, 2006.
53. "A timeline of northern conflict". The New Humanitarian. April 5, 2012.
54. "Darfur and Somalia dominate Africa summit". Sudan Tribune. July 1, 2006.
55. "Gaddafi: Africa should unite or die". Al Jazeera. July 1, 2007.
56. "EU-Africa summit begins". Al Jazeera. December 8, 2007.
57. Sciolino, Elaine (December 8, 2007). "A rocky jaunt for Qaddafi in Paris". The New York Times.
58. "Gadafi llega a Madrid en su primera visita oficial a España". La Cadena SER. December 16, 2007.
59. "Gaddafi condemns Chad rebel attack". Reuters. February 2, 2008.
60. Grainger, Sarah (March 13, 2008). "Uganda celebrates Afro-Arab unity". BBC News.
61. "Gaddafi condemns Arab leaders". Al Jazeera. March 29, 2008.
62. Friedman, Uri (August 24, 2011). "Qaddafi Warns Chuckling Arab Leaders in 2008 That Their End Is Near". The Atlantic.
63. "الرئيس الليبي يختتم زيارته الرسمية إلى تونس بعد افتتاح مدينة عمر المختار". 6 August 2008.
64. ur Rashid, Barrister Harun (November 29, 2008). "Significance of Gaddafi's visit to Moscow". The Daily Star.
65. "Belarus Hosts Libya's Qaddafi On Historic Regional Visit". Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. November 3, 2008.
66. Minyailo, Viktor (November 4, 2008). "До Києва прибув лівійський лідер". Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty.
67. "Gaddafi in Guinea for talks". News24. January 3, 2009.
68. "US embassy cables: Gaddafi gives Guinean president public and private gifts". The Guardian. December 7, 2010.
69. "Gaddafi's union plans divide leaders, extend summit". France 24. February 4, 2009.
70. "African Union's eventful year with Gaddafi". BBC News. March 27, 2009.
71. Williams, Philip (March 30, 2009). "Gaddafi denounces Saudi King". Australian Broadcasting Corporation.
72. "Libya's Gaddafi hurls insults at Saudi king". The Sydney Morning Herald. March 31, 2009.
73. "Gaddafi in historic visit to Italy". Al Jazeera. June 12, 2009.
74. Tran, Mark (June 10, 2009). "Gaddafi makes historic visit to Italy". The Guardian.
75. "Obama, Gaddafi shake hands at G8 dinner". Reuters. July 10, 2009.
76. "NAM summit calls for new world order". International Business Times. July 16, 2009.
77. "Our disturbing relationship with Gaddafi". Archived from the original on 2016-04-19. Retrieved 2013-08-16.
78. Berger, Joseph (September 23, 2009). "Still No Place in New York for Qaddafi's Tent". The New York Times.
79. Piklington, Ed (August 27, 2009). "Anger grows at Gaddafi visit". The Sidney Morning Herald.
80. Bone, James (September 25, 2009). "Colonel Gaddafi boycotts meeting of UN 'Terror Council'". The Times.
81. "Gaddafi blasts big powers in first ever UN speech". Reuters. September 23, 2009.
82. "Chávez: "Lo que es Bolívar para nosotros es Gaddafi para el pueblo libio"". El País. September 29, 2009.
83. "Chavez makes diplomatic inroads in Africa". NBC News. September 27, 2009.
84. "Gaddafi asks food summit to stop Africa "landgrab"". Reuters. November 16, 2009.
85. "Gaddafi thwarted over African Union presidency". BBC News. January 31, 2010.
86. Maasho, Aaron (July 26, 2010). "Gaddafi entertains at AU summit". News 24.
87. "Gaddafi meets Italian PM in Rome". Al Jazeera. August 30, 2010.
88. Dodman, Benjamin (August 29, 2010). "Gaddafi on controversial visit to Rome to push closer ties". France 24.
89. "Mubarak, Qaddafi to visit Sudan for talks with Al-Bashir after Obama letters". Sudan Tribune. December 19, 2010.
90. "Le Tchad célèbre enfin son Cinquantenaire". Le blog de Africa 2010. January 12, 2011.