Egypt reopens Tripoli embassy after 12-year closure

Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty reaffirmed Cairo’s legal stance on the maritime memorandum of understanding signed between Libya and Turkey on Saturday. This statement coincided with Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibah’s confirmation that his government is committed to avoiding harm to Egyptian maritime interests in the eastern Mediterranean.

Diplomatic presence restored

The remarks were made during Abdelatty’s visit to Tripoli, described as the first by an Egyptian foreign minister since 2011. The trip marked the official reopening of the Egyptian embassy after a 12-year closure. Discussions focused on developing bilateral relations, enhancing economic and investment cooperation, and coordinating on regional issues.

The reopening ceremony for the historic embassy headquarters was attended by Abdelatty and Libyan Acting Foreign Minister Taher Al-Baour. This step signifies the full return of Egyptian diplomatic presence to the Libyan capital following years of absence.

Historic ties emphasized

Abdelatty stated that reopening the historic headquarters carries significant historical and diplomatic implications. He noted that continuing to use the building as the base for the Egyptian diplomatic mission extends its history, combining the authenticity of the location with present requirements and future aspirations.

The minister added that the building will resume its role as a bridge for cooperation and coordination between Egypt and Libya. He affirmed that relations between the two countries are rooted in deep historical, humanitarian, and cultural bonds.

He explained that the embassy headquarters forms part of Tripoli’s historical memory, serving as a witness to important political and diplomatic stages in the city’s history and in Egyptian-Libyan relations. Abdelatty highlighted that historic buildings preserve past details while allowing new generations to learn about their countries’ connections to the world.

Abdelatty expressed appreciation for the support provided by Libyan authorities and various agencies to complete maintenance and renovation work on the building. He confirmed that Egyptian-Libyan relations rely on direct neighborhood, shared interests, social and cultural interconnections, and bonds of brotherhood and marriage between the peoples.

Bilateral cooperation expanded

Dbeibah and Abdelatty discussed ways to strengthen bilateral ties and expand cooperation in economic, commercial, and investment sectors. These talks took place on the sidelines of the 22nd session of the Executive Council of the Sahel and Sahara States Community.

Egyptian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Ambassador Nader Zaki said Abdelatty emphasized the specificity of Egyptian-Libyan relations due to historical links, intertwined interests, and a common destiny. He stressed Egypt’s firm commitment to Libya’s unity, stability, and territorial integrity.

Zaki added that both sides explored developing cooperation in economic, commercial, educational, and cultural sectors. They also discussed the role played by Egyptian labor and companies in reconstruction and development efforts within Libya.

The Egyptian minister expressed hope for further facilities for the Egyptian community in Libya. These include extending certain administrative deadlines, canceling accumulated fines from previous periods, and providing additional accommodations for Egyptian students.

Both parties agreed to continue strengthening bilateral cooperation by increasing trade volume and investment collaboration. They also aimed to remove obstacles to trade movement between the two countries and expand cooperation in infrastructure and reconstruction projects, leveraging the expertise of specialized Egyptian construction companies.

They reviewed preparations for holding the next session of the joint high committee between the two countries. This aims to push bilateral cooperation to broader levels and achieve mutual interests for both peoples.

Dbeibah praised the role performed by Egyptian labor and companies in reconstruction and rebuilding projects in Libya. He affirmed the importance of continuing this cooperation in the upcoming phase.

Maritime border tensions

The issue of maritime borders in the eastern Mediterranean dominated a significant portion of the discussions. Abdelatty reiterated Egypt’s position regarding the maritime memorandum of understanding signed between Libya and Turkey. He stressed the importance of considering Egyptian concerns related to maritime border delimitation, in accordance with international law rules and the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, ensuring the interests of both countries.

Dbeibah stated that his government would discuss the maritime border delimitation file with Cairo. He simultaneously confirmed Libya’s commitment to not harming Egyptian maritime interests in the eastern Mediterranean.

He added that the reopening of the Egyptian embassy in Tripoli serves as proof of the depth of relations between the two countries. He noted that his government requested Cairo’s support for efforts to return the headquarters of the Sahel and Sahara States Community to Libya.

These developments follow weeks after Egypt announced its rejection of the Libyan House of Representatives’ ratification of the memorandum of understanding defining maritime jurisdiction areas with Turkey. Cairo considered the ratification to have no legal effects for it.

The Libyan House of Representatives ratified the memorandum signed in 2019 between the former Government of National Accord led by Fayez al-Sarraj and Turkey on October 20. This move ended a parliamentary stance lasting years that rejected the agreement.

Seven years after the signing of the maritime memorandum of understanding between Libya and Turkey, and six years after rejecting it and cutting political ties with Ankara, the Libyan parliament ratified the memorandum.

Abdelatty also affirmed Egypt’s adherence to a political solution as the only exit from the Libyan crisis. This should occur through comprehensive dialogue under Libyan ownership and leadership, within a broad national consensus.

He stressed the necessity of adhering to settlement references, primarily the Skhirat Agreement, away from impositions or external interventions. The goal is a settlement that preserves Libya’s unity, protects state institutions, and ensures their unification.

Health sector partnership

On the sidelines of the meeting, Dbeibah and Abdelatty supervised the signing of a memorandum of understanding for joint cooperation in the health sector. Libyan Health Minister Mohamed Al-Ghouj attended the ceremony.

The memorandum aims to enhance health cooperation, exchange experiences and capabilities between the two countries, and open wider horizons for partnership between Libyan and Egyptian health institutions. This contributes to developing medical services and improving healthcare standards.

Abdelatty’s visit to Tripoli reflects indicators of a new phase of political and diplomatic openness between Cairo and Tripoli. Both countries seek to enhance economic cooperation, accelerate reconstruction projects, and address contentious files through dialogue. They also coordinate positions on security developments in Libya and the Sahel and Sahara region.

Earlier on Saturday, Dbeibah opened the ordinary 22nd session of the Executive Council of the Sahel and Sahara States Community in Tripoli. Representatives from member states participated.

In his speech before the council, Abdelatty called for enhanced regional cooperation to confront escalating security threats in the Sahel and Sahara region. He cited terrorism and transnational organized crime as primary concerns.

He emphasized the importance of activating specialized mechanisms belonging to the community. He supported cooperation among member states in capacity building, experience exchange, and counter-terrorism to enhance security, stability, and development.

Current session meetings discuss the community’s priorities for the next phase. Topics include peace and security issues, counter-terrorism, illegal migration, and ways to revitalize the community’s institutions and specialized mechanisms. Financial governance enhancement is also on the agenda ahead of upcoming summit-level meetings.

Regional coordination

Libya’s neighboring countries—Algeria, Egypt, and Tunisia—issued a joint statement on Monday rejecting all forms of external interference in Libyan affairs. They affirmed the importance of respecting international law principles in any agreements, settlements, or understandings reached.

This statement followed a meeting of foreign ministers Ahmed Attaf of Algeria, Badr Abdelatty of Egypt, and Mohamed Ali Nafti of Tunisia in Algiers on Sunday. The gathering occurred within the framework of the tripartite mechanism of Libya’s neighboring countries.

The three ministers affirmed the historical responsibility and central role of the neighboring countries mechanism, under UN auspices, in supporting the Libyan political track. They backed all serious and purposeful efforts to end the Libyan crisis.

They expressed full support for UN efforts and international initiatives aimed at facilitating the political process. The goal is organizing simultaneous presidential and parliamentary elections, free and fair, under an agreed constitutional and legal framework leading to the complete end of transitional phases.

The ministers emphasized preserving Libyan people’s resources and directing them toward serving their interests and achieving development and prosperity. They stressed protecting frozen financial assets abroad, maintaining their value, and ensuring proper management by international financial institutions.

They urged Libyan parties to take further steps in implementing the unified spending framework for 2026, announced on February 11, 2026.

In their joint statement, the ministers insisted that the political process must be Libyan-led and owned. The political solution must stem from the Libyan people’s will and national consensus, guaranteeing the Libyan state’s unity, sovereignty, and territorial integrity.

They agreed to continue coordination and consultation within international and regional bodies to contribute to resolving the Libyan crisis. They reiterated the importance of respecting international law principles in any agreements, settlements, or understandings.

The government mandated by the Libyan House of Representatives in Benghazi called on Sunday for parliamentary support of negotiations with Egypt regarding land and sea borders. This includes exclusive economic zones in the Mediterranean. They sought consensual solutions respecting both countries’ interests and rights, days after the parliament ratified the maritime border agreement with Turkey.

The government, led by Osama Hammad, stated in a release that it looks forward to the House of Representatives playing its role in supporting negotiations between relevant Libyan technical committees and their Egyptian counterparts. It aims to create conditions for continuing talks and reaching mutual understandings.

The government emphasized handling issues related to land and sea borders, including contact points linked to the exclusive economic zone in the Mediterranean, with responsibility and understanding. This should occur within mutual respect and good neighborliness, safeguarding both countries’ rights and legitimate interests according to international law rules.

It stressed Libya’s pride in historical relations and fraternal bonds with Egypt. It affirmed keenness to enhance bilateral cooperation in various fields, serving shared interests and supporting regional security and stability.

Dbeibah confirmed on Saturday his government’s willingness to address Egyptian concerns regarding maritime borders and economic waters in the Mediterranean. This was stated during a call with Egyptian General Intelligence Chief Hassan Rashad.

The media office of the Government of National Unity stated that Dbeibah emphasized addressing Egyptian concerns through dialogue and joint coordination. This protects the legitimate maritime rights and interests of both countries.

Egypt had announced last Wednesday its "firm" rejection of the Libyan parliament’s ratification of the memorandum of understanding signed between Libya and Turkey regarding defining maritime jurisdiction areas in the Mediterranean.

Cairo affirmed that the memorandum is "absolutely null," carrying no legal effects for Egypt.

Abdelatty reaffirmed Egypt’s "firm rejection" of the Libyan parliament’s ratification of the 2019 memorandum during a meeting with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan in Istanbul on Friday. He stressed the need to respect international law of the sea principles.

Spokesperson Nader Zaki told Asharq earlier on Friday that Cairo’s position remains constant in rejecting the memorandum and considering it "legally completely void." He added that Egypt uses the expression "ink on paper" to describe worthless agreements, confirming this is Cairo’s stance in communications with various parties.

The unanimous ratification by the Libyan House of Representatives ended a parliamentary stance dating back to 2020 that rejected the agreement. Assurances indicated the decision followed technical and legal reviews based on Libyan national interest considerations.

Turkey viewed this step as confirmation of its historical and legal entitlements in the eastern Mediterranean. The European Union, Greece, Cyprus, and Egypt quickly rejected it.

Egypt and Libya, which share a land border, maintain long-standing security and economic relations.