Several Libyan government institutions and businesses participated in the opening yesterday of the Turkish-African Business Forum ‘‘AFEX 2023’’ and its accompanying exhibition.
Among Libya’s participants in the event, which is held in Istanbul and runs from 29 to 31 August, were the Undersecretary of the Ministry of Economy and Trade, Saad Ahneesh, the President of Libya’s General Union of Chambers of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture, Mohamed Al-Raied, the Director of the Libyan Export Promotion Centre (LEPC), Mohamed Al-Deeb, in the presence of the Libyan Ambassador to Turkey, Mustafa Al-Gulaib, and the Commercial Attaché in Istanbul, Omar Derhoub.
In addition to the participation of representatives of the Misrata Free Zone, the Industry Promotion Authority, the Privatization and Investment Board (PIB), and the Libya Trade Network, and a large presence of African companies, business owners, and companies specialized in the food manufacturing, construction, clothing, equipment, industrial machinery, office and home furniture, and contracting and construction sectors.
To promote Libya as an African gateway for Turkish goods
In an exclusive interview with the Libya Herald, the President of the General Union of Chambers of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture, Mohamed Al-Raied, said that the aim of participating in this forum is to emphasize the pivotal and pioneering role of Libya in Africa economically as it is the most important gateway for trade with the African continent, which has a good volume of transactions from Turkey.
Turkish-African trade growing
Al-Raied highlighted the significant growth in Turkish-African trade during the past years and the high volume of imports from Turkey to Africa, with a good demand for complex products, as well as the presence of contracting and construction companies in several African countries, including Libya.
A strategic partnership with both Turkish and African companies
The goal behind the Libyan delegations’ participation in the Turkish-African Business Forum, Al-Raied explained, is to strengthen economic ties between Libyan and Turkish economic and investment institutions. This involves developing trade relations between the private sectors in the two countries and concluding a strategic partnership with Turkish and African companies to implement the “African Trade Gateway” project through Libya, which is based on establishing free and private zones, activating transit trade and localizing industries.
Libya a main transit trade hub to sub-Saharan Africa
Al-Raied emphasised Libya’s ability to be the main link between Turkey and Africa, due to the great potential that Libya enjoys that qualifies it to become the main centre for transit trade through the Misrata Free Zone and the transit trade route from it to the Tamanhint Free Zone in the south of Libya.
Air freight transit trade
This transit trade, he further explained, also includes air freight through Libya’s numerous airports spread across the country which Libya is currently redeveloping to act as transit airports for goods coming by air to Africa.
In future, by rail
Finally, transit trade will also be enhanced in future with the activation of the railway project towards the southern city of Sebha and from there on to Niger and Chad.
The President of the Union of Chambers hoped that all projects related to transit trade would be realised as soon as possible, despite the instability that the country is going through from time to time. However, he emphasised that with the will and cooperation between business owners and economic and executive government institutions, everything that is planned for a diversified Libyan economy will be implemented, based on integration with partners, especially in Turkey and African countries.
Preparations for the second ‘‘Made in Libya’’ edition in Niamey, Niger progressing (libyaherald.com)
