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By Sami Zaptia.
London, 18 June 2020:
A high-level Turkish delegation visited Tripoli yesterday to further bolster relations between the two governments. The Turkish delegation included the Foreign Minister, the Minister of Treasury and Finance and the Head of Turkish Intelligence.
They were met on the Libyan side by the internationally recognized Libyan Prime Minister Faiez Serraj as well as his Foreign Minister, Interior Minister, Finance and Acting Economy Minister, and head of the National Oil Corporation (NOC).
Tripoli reported that the meeting ‘‘discussed the latest developments in Libya and international efforts to resolve the current crisis, as well as a number of cooperation issues in various fields within the framework of the close ties of brotherhood and friendship between the two countries’’.
The meeting also ‘‘touched on the return of Turkish companies to complete their work in Libya, in addition to the mechanisms of cooperation and integration in the fields of investment, infrastructure and oil, and outlined the approach adopted by Libya to develop the concept of development through public-private partnership’’.
Tripoli also reported that ‘‘during the meeting, the implementation of the security and military memorandum of understanding signed between the two countries last November, especially with regard to cooperation in building Libyan defence and security capabilities through training, rehabilitation and equipping programmes, as well as updates on the memorandum of understanding on the definition of maritime powers, were followed up’’.
Analysts noted that the high-level delegation is part symbolic and part celebratory. Having delivered militarily and helped Tripoli drive Hafter’s forces (and their domestic and foreign allies) away from Tripoli and western Libya to as far east as Sirte, Turkey is now looking to convert this leverage.
It will be looking to nail down some tangible economic returns such the payment of old debts for part-completed projects as well as new ones, as well as military returns in the form of possible permanent military bases.
