Libya and Turkey to foster closer diplomatic and economic ties

Turkish foreign minister Mevlut Cavusoglu paid a visit to Libya on Monday in show of support for the UN-backed unity government.

During his visit, he said that he hoped his country will be the first to reopen its embassy in the capital Tripoli.

The foreign minister met with his Libyan counterpart Mohammed Siyala and Prime Minister Fayez al- Sarraj at the naval base. They agreed on a joint co-operation in security matters to restore stability in Libya .

He also added that Turkey hoped to boost its economic presence in the north African country.

“Turkish companies wish to resume their activities in Libya in the sectors of transport, communications and especially of energy, which is a priority for Libya at this time,” he said

The Turkish embassy in Tripoli has remained closed since the summer of 2014 and flights between Turkey and Libya were suspended in January 2015 due to security reasons.

Tunisia and a number of Western European countries including France and Britain have said they hoped to re-open their embassies following the arrival of the unity government in March but the dates are yet to be announced.

Libya descended into chaos following the 2011 uprising that ousted its veteran leader Muammar Gaddafi, resulting into growing instability that created two main rival political groups, one in Tripoli and the other in Tobruk.

The recently created unity government was designed to end divisions between the rival political groups but has struggled to win support on the ground.

AFP, Reuters