A Libyan ministerial delegation arrived in Ankara Sunday to attend the first meeting of the Libyan-Turkish Council for High-Level Strategic Cooperation chaired by Libyan Prime Minister Abd Alhamid Aldabiba and Turkish President Republic Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Libya Herald and Libyan News Agency (LANA) reported.
The Libyan-Turkish Council for High-Level Strategic Cooperation had been established by an agreement between the two countries in 2014.
The Libyan Ministers held several bilateral meetings on the sidelines of the meeting with their Turkish counterparts. Five agreements were signed on Tuesday, namely:
- Protocol to establish a power station in Libya
- A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to establish 3 power stations in Libya
- MoU to establish a new passenger terminal at Tripoli International Airport
- MoU to build a new Shopping Centre in Tripoli
- MoU on strategic bilateral cooperation in the field of media
During the meeting, it was highlighted that the MoU signed between Turkey and Libya, especially the naval field, carries an importance for the common interests of both countries and regional stability with an emphasis on the need to hold a regional conference for all parties to ensure dialogue and cooperation in the eastern Mediterranean.
The two sides also affirmed to continue strengthening their bilateral, regional and international cooperation against violent extremism, all forms and manifestations of separatism, transnational organized crimes, drug smuggling, human trafficking, money laundering, crimes against cultural and historical heritage, cybercrime, disinformation campaigns, migrant smuggling and cross-border security threats.
Both sides agreed to cooperate in combating illegal immigration, human trafficking and migrant trafficking, as well as sharing experiences in the field of illegal immigration. They also agreed to work in unity on global, regional and national security issues, in compliance with their national interests and security concerns.
The two sides also expressed their determination to continue their efforts to enhance bilateral cooperation in defense, health, tourism, education, culture, media, mutual investment, municipalities and financing.
It was also agreed to increase the volume of bilateral trade to 5 billion US dollars in a balanced manner.
A mechanism for reaching an understanding was discussed regarding conducting the field examination required for Turkish Airlines to resume its flights to Libya.
The two sides agreed to organize a training program for Libyan diplomats in the first phase, according to the MoU between the Diplomatic Academy of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the Republic of Turkey and the Institute of Diplomatic Studies at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation in the State of Libya, which was signed on March 14, 2012.
Both countries agreed to strengthen coordination between their health institutions in combating epidemics, primarily against the Coronavirus pandemic.
It is noteworthy that the next meeting of the Joint Economic Committee will be held as soon as possible, with the resumption of negotiations on the Free Trade Agreement, in addition to the possible role of Turkish contractors in the reconstruction process in Libya. The two sides also stressed the importance of boosting cooperation in the field of energy for the benefit of both countries.
Lastly, the two sides agreed to closely follow the results of the Committee’s first meeting, and hold the next meeting in Libya.
