Tunisia, Libya agree on resumption of border trade

Tunisia and Libya have reached an agreement for the resumption of trade from Monday, at the border post of Ras Jedir.

The agreement provides for the establishment of a single customs duty for the goods and of a Joint Monitoring Committee to avoid new tensions between the two countries.

Trade resumes at main Tunisia-Libya crossing: officials – Brief https://t.co/n9RzaSQYKg

— Zeid El-Basyouni (@zaydouf) May 15, 2016

The recovery of passenger traffic took effect Saturday, according to the Libyan authorities, causing the closure of the border. They were protesting against the entry conditions of Libyan products into Tunisia.

This blockage also caused strong protests in Ben Guerdane, neighboring city of Libya, totally dependent on cross-border trade.

Libya and Tunisia share nearly 500 km of common border. To reduce the incursions of the Islamic State fighters on its territory, Tunisia has built about 200 km, a system of barriers consisting of ditches and mounds of sand.