LibyaPolitics

International confusion opens doors for Turkish expansion in Libya

Turkey is trying to be in control of the Libyan file through two parallel tracks: military and economic, through developing its presence and its last military role in Libya, Tripoli in particular, to what observers described as a “permanent security system via military, security and economic agreements which are binding for Libyans.”

The recent visit of the Turkish military delegation to Tripoli, in which the Turkish Minister of Defense and the Chief of Staff met with military and security personalities from the Government of National Accord and focused on cooperation plans and military deals that were planned with a high-level presence of the two parties.

Observers saw them as evidence of the race that Turkey is running, exploiting the international confusion around the Libyan issue to expand its influence in Libya.

Talking about military and security cooperation agreements and security and defense capacity building programs within the framework of the Memorandum of Understanding signed between Turkey and GNA in November 2019 comes days after the agreement with the American delegation on plans to train, demobilize and disband the militias, which means that Ankara may be heading to transfer this role to its advantage by placing its hand on the Americans’ plans to train the GNA forces.

As for economy, the figures say that Turkey’s exports to Libya are moving in an escalating manner recently, as Turkish-Libyan Business Council Chairman Murtaza Kranfil suggested that Turkish exports to the Libyan market will increase to 10 billion dollars in the next few period, expressing the GNA’s desire to “attract” large investments to Tripoli.

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