After the visit of the high-ranking Egyptian delegation to Tripoli, the Government of National Unity and the Egyptian government issued a joint statement on Tuesday, including the outlines of a track of joint cooperation between the two countries.
During an expanded meeting in Tripoli between the two sides, which dealt with most of the bilateral issues and relations of common interest, the two sides stressed the importance of continuous coordination and the possibility of unifying their position on the various regional and international issues, stressing the importance of Libya’s sovereignty over its territory, political unity and independence.
The two sides emphasized that the Presidential Council and the Government of National Unity are the only legitimate executive authority in Libya, which were elected by the Libyan Political Dialogue Forum.
The two sides announced their intention to work in coordination and cooperation, and to exchange experience and opinion to conduct the political process, which will lead to general elections on December 24, 2021 in a smooth and specific manner, while emphasizing that the solution to political problems can only be achieved through peaceful political methods approved by the political conventions.
According to the joint statement, the role of Egypt and its constructive contributions in controlling joint security and stability was emphasized, in a way that guarantees the territorial integrity of the two sides. They also agreed on setting a formula for relations between the two countries according to a new vision from the perspective of development in regional and international relations, and the political, economic and social transformations that it imposes, in a way that leads the two countries to spare any regional or international external interference and prevents them from aligning themselves in suspicious or hostile axes or blocs. They also demanded the acceleration of the exit of foreign armed formations from Libyan territories.
The two sides will reach joint formulas to hold meetings between the two countries at various levels and periodically, which would contribute to strengthening bilateral relations and building bridges of trust and harmony between them. They urged encouraging trade and economic exchange between the two brotherly countries through businesspersons and investors, and facilitating the movement of goods between them with the assured desire to increase trade exchanges by urging economic actors in the two countries to conduct direct contacts, and to encourage them to form an effective partnership, with the need to participate in economic activities and exhibitions that are held in their territories.
It was also agreed to form a specialized joint working group entrusted with working to update the legal framework signed between the two countries in line with the changes and developments that have taken place in their fields, and to ensure the common interest of both sides.
The two sides decided to call for meetings of the 11th session of the Egyptian-Libyan Joint Higher Committee, and the sectoral committees emanating from it within the framework of developing and strengthening joint cooperation relations between the two countries, exchanging information related to combating smuggling from the competent authorities in this field, and activating and amending previous agreements related to joint investments by giving more from concessions and procedural facilities for development projects to existing and future joint investments.
The two parties agreed to exchange experiences in the field of renewable energy. The Libyan side also registered its request to assist the Renewable Energy Agency by delegating experts from Egypt to raise the efficiency of workers in the renewable energy sector.
The agreements included the resumption of flights between the two countries, similar to the airlines of other countries, which operate flights to Egypt, which facilitates the movement of citizens between the two countries and the formation of a joint working group of specialists in the two countries in the field of agriculture and marine wealth entrusted with the development of the various fields of cooperation in this context, and the opening of sea lines for passengers and freight between the ports of the two countries.
The two sides stressed cooperation in the field of primary healthcare, and the formation of a joint committee in border regions to combat diseases and the pandemic situation, in addition to supporting the participation in cultural events held in both countries.
The two sides condemned terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, and called for the establishment of a joint information system and database for combating terrorism, monitoring, follow-up and exchange of information on terrorist activities, enumerating terrorist elements in the two countries, preparing a unified guide for wanted and suspected elements, conducting joint border patrols, and establishing security and monitoring points along the land and sea borders, general mobilization against terrorist financing, exchange of experiences between the two countries in this field, and the formation of joint forces between the two countries to combat terrorism in the field, intellectually, and in the media.
The two sides agreed to establish a database and monitor financial transactions, finance charitable societies, and work to establish a joint body to combat money laundering, as well as combat organized crime and illegal immigration.
The joint statement indicated that, at the end of the meeting, a number of legal documents were signed, which are relied upon in consolidating the distinguished relations between the two countries in the fields of transportation, roads and infrastructure, health, electricity and communications, the fiber system, technical training and capacity building.
