On Saturday, Egypt reopened its embassy in the Libyan capital, Tripoli, after closing it in 2014 due to the political division and related violence.
Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdel Ati opened the embassy headquarters, following his arrival in Tripoli earlier today, where he also participated in a session of the Community of Sahel-Saharan States.
Abdel Ati said, in a press conference, that the reopening of the embassy headquarters “reflects the depth of the relationship and the historical and geographical connection that brings together the two brotherly peoples.”
Libya is seeking to recover from the chaos that followed the overthrow of Muammar Gaddafi in 2011.
Two governments are currently competing for power, one in Tripoli, recognized by the United Nations and led by Prime Minister Abdel Hamid Dabaiba, and a rival government in the east supported by Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar.
According to a statement by the spokesman for the Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Abdel Ati pointed out during the celebration the reopening of the historic Egyptian embassy headquarters in Tripoli has historical and diplomatic significance, noting that continuing to use it as a headquarters for the Egyptian embassy gives its history a living extension, combining the authenticity of the place, the requirements of the present and the aspirations of the future, and good news for resuming the performance of its mission as one of the bridges of continuous cooperation and coordination between the two sister countries.
Abdel Ati added that this historic building represents an inseparable part of the memory of the city of Tripoli, with its historical depth and cultural status. It is a witness to its political and diplomatic history, and its historical value coincides with the solid humanitarian and cultural ties that Egyptian-Libyan relations carry. He explained that historical buildings not only preserve features of the past, but also recall the events they witnessed and the meetings they hosted, in addition to the opportunity they give successive generations to learn about stations in their country’s history and its relations with the world.
The reopening of the embassy comes weeks after the Libyan Parliament in Benghazi, in the east of the country, approved an agreement to demarcate the maritime borders with Turkey, which angered Cairo, which considered that the agreement violated its maritime zone.
The Egyptian Foreign Minister expressed his thanks and appreciation for the support provided by the Libyan state and its agencies to complete the maintenance and renovation of the building, noting that the relations between Egypt and Libya are historical and fraternal relations, which have always been based on direct neighborhood ties, social and cultural interactions, ties of brotherhood and intermarriage, and common interests.
Egypt renewed its adherence to its legal position on the “Maritime Memorandum of Understanding” signed between Libya and Turkey, stressing the need to take into account its concerns regarding the demarcation of maritime borders, in accordance with the rules of international law and the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, and in a way that preserves the interests of both countries.
The Egyptian position was stated by Foreign Minister Badr Abdel Ati, during his meeting with the head of the interim “national unity” government, Abdel Hamid Dabaiba, in Tripoli, on Saturday, on the sidelines of his participation in the work of the twenty-second session of the Executive Council of the Community of Sahel-Saharan States.
Egypt rejects the Libyan House of Representatives’ ratification of the maritime agreement with Türkiye, and has confirmed through multiple positions and statements that ratifying the agreement does not entail “any legal implications for Egypt.”
According to a statement by the Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Abdel-Ati stressed the importance of taking into account Egyptian concerns regarding the issue of demarcating maritime borders, based on “the historical and fraternal relations between the two brotherly countries, and in accordance with the rules of international law and the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, and in a way that achieves the interests of the two brotherly countries, which is what was agreed upon.”
For his part, Al-Dabaiba announced that the “Libyan-Egyptian Joint Committee” will meet to discuss the maritime border issue, and he said in statements to the “Cairo News” channel: “Whoever has maps can provide them, and this is a healthy thing for us to dialogue and discuss. As for individual decisions and stubbornness, they will not lead us to any result that serves the common interests of the two countries.”
The statements come in the wake of the Libyan House of Representatives’ approval, last October, of the memorandum of understanding signed between Tripoli and Ankara in 2019, a step that raised Egyptian, Greek and Cypriot objections, in addition to European positions critical of the agreement in previous stages.
Last October, Al-Dabaiba confirmed his government's keenness to take into account Egyptian concerns regarding the memorandum, days after Cairo announced its refusal to ratify the Libyan House of Representatives of the agreement, which reflects the continued presence of the file in relations between the two countries.
In a related context, Abdel-Ati and Al-Dabaiba’s discussions dealt with developments in the Libyan political crisis, as the Egyptian minister renewed his country’s adherence to the political solution as the only way out of the crisis, through a comprehensive dialogue with Libyan ownership and leadership, based on a broad national consensus.
Abdel Ati stressed, according to the statement, the necessity of adhering to the terms of reference for the political solution, foremost of which is the Skhirat Agreement, away from external dictates and interference, to reach a political settlement that preserves the unity of Libya, safeguards state institutions, and supports their unification, thus putting an end to the existing division.
Libya is witnessing a political division between the “National Unity” government headed by Dabaiba, based in Tripoli, and the government appointed by the House of Representatives, headed by Osama Hammad, which administers regions in the east of the country and parts of its south, within the scope of influence of the National Army led by Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar.
The United Nations mission in Libya has put the course of the mini-political dialogue before an important test, after hinting at the possibility of expanding the circle of participants in the political process, if the “4+4” committee does not achieve tangible progress in implementing its understandings, amid the continuing institutional division, and faltering consensus on elections.
This approach reflects UN envoy Hannah Tetteh’s adherence to the agreement, which was reached by the small committee on August 30, but at the same time it reveals “the mission’s readiness to search for political alternatives, if the concerned parties fail to transform the understandings into practical steps.”
The committee had reached, after months of consultations, understandings regarding the electoral process, which were supported by Libyan and international parties, but their implementation still faces challenges related to the positions of political institutions, and the continuing disagreements regarding the rules governing the elections and the unified government.
At the conclusion of a visit to Benghazi, Tetteh said, in televised statements, on Friday evening, that the mission is working with the parties concerned to take the necessary steps to implement the agreement and reach a unified government that paves the way for holding elections, stressing the continued pursuit of the “4+4” path, as it is the current entry point to the political process.
The UN envoy linked the next steps to assessing the extent of progress made in implementing the understandings, warning that “failure to achieve the required results may push the mission to search for other paths, including holding an expanded political meeting, which includes parties beyond the participants in the mini-dialogue.”
According to observers, “this gesture carries a message to the Libyan institutions and forces that the continuation of the international bet on the mini-committee is not open without a time or political ceiling,” and that the faltering implementation of the understandings “may re-introduce the idea of expanding the base of participation in the negotiations, in search of a way out of the crisis.”
Tetteh's statements came after the Security Council decided to extend the mandate of the UN mission for an additional year, until October 31, 2027, in a move that confirmed “continued international support for the political track, and encouraged the mission to strengthen its presence and communications in eastern and southern Libya, in support of unifying institutions.”
In this context, Tetteh held a series of meetings with political and military leaders in Benghazi, focusing on opportunities to implement the recent understandings, unify state institutions, and support holding elections, in an effort to expand the base of political and institutional support for the agreement.
The UN envoy discussed with Lieutenant General Saddam Haftar, the son and deputy commander-in-chief of the Libyan National Army, what she described as the progress achieved within the framework of the mini-dialogue, and the steps required to implement the agreement of the committee known as “4+4,” according to a statement issued by the mission.
She also met with the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Al-Salihin Abdel-Nabi, in their first meeting, and congratulated him on his election, stressing the readiness of the United Nations to work closely with the Council and various Libyan institutions to advance the political process and hold elections.
The Speaker of the House of Representatives called on the United Nations to play a more effective role in dealing with the obstructing parties, pointing out the importance of unifying sovereign, supervisory and judicial institutions, as this is an essential part of any sustainable political settlement.
In parallel with the political track, Tetteh’s meetings included a meeting with the Director General of the Libya Development and Reconstruction Fund, Belkacem Haftar, which discussed opportunities for cooperation in the areas of sustainable development and rebuilding infrastructure, in light of the link between reconstruction projects and the stability of institutions and the unification of their management.
Tetteh also visited the University of Benghazi, learned about the efforts to rebuild the educational institution, and discussed opportunities for cooperation with the United Nations and Libyan academic circles. She placed a wreath on the tomb of Omar Al-Mukhtar, praising his legacy as a symbol of national unity.
Tetteh's movements in Benghazi are an extension of international consultations that included meetings with political parties and Libyan institutions, and recent mini-dialogue meetings in London, which dealt with expanding consultations on unifying the judicial institution, reflecting the breadth of the issues presented before the political settlement process.
