Eastern Libya parliament ratifies 2019 maritime agreement with Turkiye

Libya’s eastern parliament, which operates under the influence of military commander Khalifa Haftar and serves as an alternative to the UN‑recognised legislature in Tripoli, has voted to approve a maritime pact with Turkiye, ending a period of tension between the two sides. In a statement released on Tuesday, Haftar’s government in Benghazi said the Tobruk‑based House of Representatives unanimously endorsed the 2019 memorandum of understanding that Turkiye signed with Libya’s former UN‑recognised Government of National Accord (GNA) to define maritime borders in the Mediterranean Sea. Lawmaker Aisha al‑Tabalqi told Reuters that specialised committees presented a comprehensive explanation of the agreement’s provisions before the vote.

The decision reverses a 2020 resolution in which the same parliament rejected the deal and severed political ties with Ankara. The change reflects a broader strategic realignment that has been developing since last year, building on growing military‑to‑military contacts between Haftar’s self‑styled Libyan National Army (LNA) and Turkiye, including a July agreement to develop military facilities and advanced surveillance systems. The LNA, long believed to receive support from Egypt and other regional actors, has been fighting forces loyal to the Tripoli‑based government since the Libyan civil war began in 2014.

Turkiye’s 2019 agreement with the Tripoli government, which mapped out maritime boundaries between the two countries, sparked protests from Greece and Cyprus. Greece’s Foreign Ministry responded to Tuesday’s announcement by saying the 2019 memorandum violated international law of the sea and infringed on the sovereign rights of states in the region, urging Libya not to take actions that could destabilise the Mediterranean. Athens added that it had informed its partners and allies and would take all appropriate measures to protect its sovereign rights.

Earlier on Tuesday, Tarek al‑Jeroushi, a member of the eastern‑backed parliament, said some countries might be displeased with the agreement but stressed that Libya’s national interest was paramount. He argued the deal would bolster Libya’s standing as a political, military and economic partner for major powers. In December 2019, Haftar’s LNA had almost surrounded Tripoli, threatening the UN‑recognised GNA led by Fayez al‑Sarraj, before Turkiye intervened by sending military advisers and drones that halted the LNA’s advance and altered the course of the civil war. Seven years later, discussions are underway about Turkiye establishing a military presence in areas controlled by Haftar’s LNA, a move aimed at safeguarding Turkey’s long‑term geopolitical and economic interests and maintaining influence in Libya regardless of any future political settlement between the rival administrations.