Speaking at the French-Libyan Business Forum on Monday (20 June) at MEDEF’s Paris headquarters, Mohamed Raied, head of the Libyan General Union of Chambers of Commerce, stressed that Libya is more willing to increase closer relations with France and Europe in a way that serves all sides.
Raied called for increased economic and commercial exchange and removing their obstacles, including the resumption of work at the consulate in Tripoli and the issuance of visas for Libyan citizens, as is the case with several other embassies of friendly countries in Tripoli. He also called for action to encourage French companies to return and work in Libya.
Raied gave a brief overview of the economic situation in Libya and the great opportunities available for cooperation with France in many fields, especially in view of Libya’s capabilities and resources, and the development it needs in various fields.
Solar energy
He highlighted the possibility of cooperation to contribute to the production of solar energy and to address the problem of the high prices of many commodities in Libya that were affected by the economic crisis by opening supply lines from French companies producing commodities.
Digital economy
Raied highlighted the digital economy and referred to Libyan participation in many international forums, pointing out the importance of intensifying cooperation in this field.
He emphasized that Libya is open to the French experience in the areas of transportation, infrastructure, education, industry and trade.
The Libyan participants at the event included a large number of members of the Libyan-French Chamber, the National Oil Corporation (NOC), a number of directors of oil companies, senior officials of the General Electricity Company of Libya (GECOL), the Telecom Holding Company, representatives of Libyan banks in Europe, several lawyers in France, several heads of companies and bodies with commercial and service activities in Libya, and several of business leaders.
On the French side, Philippe Gautier, Director General of MEDEF International and Jérôme Barthe, President of the French-Libyan Chamber of Commerce, the Director of the Middle East and North Africa file at the French Treasury, and the participation of nearly sixty French business leaders active in several fields.
The event was organised by the French Employers Association (Mouvement des entreprises de France / Movement of the Enterprises of France – MEDEF) and the French Libyan Chamber of Commerce.
It was co-chaired by Philippe Gautier, Director General of MEDEF International and Jérôme Barthe, President of the French-Libyan Chamber of Commerce.
MEDEF is the largest employer federation in France originally established under another name (CNPF) in 1946. It has more than 750,000 members, 90 percent of which are SMEs with fewer than 50 employees.
