Libyan politicians support maritime agreement with Turkey
A number of political figures in Libya welcomed the House of Representatives decision to approve the memorandum of understanding on the delimitation of maritime jurisdiction areas with Turkey, considering it a factor that strengthens Libya’s legal and political position in the Eastern Mediterranean and expands economic and energy cooperation with Ankara.
These politicians stated that with the approval of this memorandum, first signed in 2019, previous legal obstacles have been removed and the legal ratification stage has been completed. According to them, this resolution will make the agreement transcend the level of a commitment by a government in Tripoli and place it within the framework of the official policy of the Libyan state.
Rabia Abu Ras, a member of Libya’s House of Representatives, assessed the resolution as politically and strategically important for Libya and the region, saying: “With the approval of this memorandum in the House, this file is no longer limited to the Tripoli government and has become part of Libya’s official policy.”
Pointing to the increase in Libya’s bargaining power in the Eastern Mediterranean, she added that this agreement expands the ground for energy cooperation with Turkey and provides the necessary legal and political framework for seismic studies and hydrocarbon exploration in waters with oil and gas potential.
The MP recalled that the National Oil Corporation of Libya and the Turkish Petroleum Corporation signed a memorandum in June 2025 for geophysical and two-dimensional seismic studies in four maritime areas totaling about 10,000 square kilometers. According to her, proper management of this file can increase investment, develop the oil services industry, create job opportunities, and strengthen Libya’s position as a gas supplier to Europe.
Abu Ras stressed that the Turkey-Libya maritime agreement is not against Greece or any other country, and its purpose is to strengthen Libya’s negotiating position and consolidate the maritime maps and coordinates agreed upon by the technical committees of the two countries. According to her, parliamentary approval of this agreement removes the previous pretext about the lack of approval by the House of Representatives and can affect the political and economic equations of the Eastern Mediterranean.
She said that closer relations between Turkey and Libya can further consolidate Ankara’s geographical and political position against regional arrangements involving Greece, Cyprus, Egypt, and Israel. According to her, this development may push Greece to increase diplomatic consultations with Libya and the European Union, and Egypt to review its options for preserving its maritime and security interests.
At the same time, she warned that the real value of this agreement depends on the Libyan government’s ability to integrate state institutions, manage resources transparently, and turn the political agreement into implementable and accepted economic and strategic arrangements.
Fathi al-Shibli, head of the Union of Libyan Political Parties and secretary-general of the Voice of the People Party, also supported the House of Representatives resolution and considered it in line with Libya’s national interests. Referring to Turkey’s role in political and military developments in Libya, he said: “Turkey’s role in Libya cannot be ignored. This country helped us greatly during the February revolution, and Ankara’s position, especially during the 2019 attacks on Tripoli, was positive.”
Emphasizing Libya’s need for Turkey’s technical expertise in seismic studies and energy exploration, al-Shibli said that his country currently does not have sufficient technical and logistical capabilities for drilling and extracting oil and gas in deep waters.
The head of the Union of Libyan Political Parties stressed that the expansion of Turkey-Libya relations concerns the interests of the two countries, and other governments should not obstruct bilateral cooperation. Referring to the cultural and religious ties between the two peoples, he said: “The people of Turkey are Muslim, and we are also Muslim; therefore, expanding cooperation between the two peoples is important to us.”
Regarding the possibility of Greece opposing the maritime agreement, al-Shibli added that if this agreement is registered with the United Nations and acquires an international dimension, Greece can, if it wishes, resort to international courts to object.
