Seawater desalination represents a strategic option for enhancing water security in arid coastal countries, particularly under the continuous increase in water demand. This study analyses the current status of desalination technologies in Libya and benchmark them against the selected large-scale desalination plants in the Gulf countries. The study adopts a descriptive analytical approach based on operational data and scientific literature published between the period (2008–2025), with a focus on the Zuwara desalination plant as case study for thermal systems. The results indicate that Libya still relies mainly on thermal desalination technologies, specifically Multi-Effect Distillation (MED) and Multi-Stage Flash (MSF), while Gulf countries are rapidly shifting toward membrane technologies, especially " Reverse Osmosis (RO)", which delivers high-efficiency and significantly lower Specific Energy Consumption (SEC), whereas, The Zuwara plant exhibits a specific energy consumption of 14.5KWh/m³, significantly higher than the 3-6KWh/m³ achieved by advanced (RO) plants in Gulf countries. The study concludes that a dual-pathway modernization strategy. In the short term, it suggests integrating nano-enhanced surfaces and solar preheating into existing Multi-Effect Distillation (MED) Units to reduce energy consumption. For the medium to long term, the gradual adoption of solar-powered Reverse Osmosis (RO) systems offers the most compelling pathway toward low-carbon and economically efficient water desalination. This study also identified institutional reforms, including maintenance governance, workforce development, and blended financing – as equally critical enabling factors for the success of this transition................... Keywords:.................Seawater desalination, Reverse osmosis, Renewable energy, Gulf countries, Nanotechnologies, Zuwara Desalination Plant.