The twelfth Arab-Greek Economic Forum was held between the 13-14 December in Athens, Greece, with Arab participation and in the presence of the General Union of Libyan Chambers of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture, with the aim of discussing opportunities to enhance Arab-Greek economic integration and cooperation.
Strategic economic relations with Greece
In an exclusive interview with Libya Herald, the President of the General Union of Libyan Chambers of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture, Mohamed Al-Raied, said that Libya, led by the private sector, is interested in economic relations with Greece, strengthening the partnership between them, moving to a strategic partnership at the economic, commercial and investment levels, and increasing the volume of cooperation within a programme approved by the two countries in which government agencies and the private sector participate.
Call on Greek companies to return to their stalled Libyan projects
Al-Raied called on Greek companies to complete their stalled projects in Libya, the most important of which are the Tripoli International Airport project, the western and eastern terminals with a capacity of 20 million passengers, and the Tripoli commercial port.
Role of private sector
Al-Raied referred to his talk at the forum about the role of the private sector in Libya and the development it has achieved under the Tripoli based Libyan government, the state of security and economic stability in all of Libya, and the projects to ‘‘restore life’’ that the country is witnessing in the areas of infrastructure, housing, and public and service facilities.
CCC resumption of work at Tripoli International Airport
For his part, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Transportation, Wissam Al-Idrissi, confirmed to Libya Herald his discussion with the Greek company CCC about its resumption of work in Libya to complete Tripoli International Airport. Tripoli International Airport’s eastern and western terminals, with a total capacity of 20 million passengers per year, were being implemented by the Libyan-Brazilian Construction Company with several supporting companies, including the Greek company CCC.
It will be recalled that the completion rate of the eastern terminal was more than 50 percent, while that of the western terminal did not exceed the concrete foundations. The project was stopped after Libya’s February 2011 revolution.
Al-Idrissi pointed to the desire of the Ministry of Transport and Transport to cooperate with Greece in the field of academic training for maritime transport for Libyan technicians, inside and outside Libya.
It is worth noting that Libya participated with a delegation at the forum that included the President of the General Union of Chambers of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture, the Undersecretary of the Ministry of Transport for Bureau Affairs and Maritime Transport, the General Director of the Benghazi and Derna City Reconstruction Fund, Ali Al-Awjali, and several business owners in various sectors.
