The head of Türkiye’s National Intelligence Organization (MIT), Ibrahim Kalin, met with Libya’s acting defence minister, Abdussalam Zubi, in Istanbul, as Ankara and Tripoli seek to deepen cooperation and support efforts to unify Libya’s divided institutions.

The Saturday meeting came as negotiations aimed at bringing Libya’s military and political institutions together have gained momentum, according to Turkish security sources.

Kalin and Zubi discussed developments in Libya and the wider region, steps to maintain Türkiye-Libya cooperation, and ongoing efforts to achieve political and military unity and preserve stability in the North African country.

Zubi thanked Türkiye for its efforts to advance unity in Libya, while Kalin reiterated Ankara’s determination to continue supporting Libya’s security and stability.

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A relationship built around security, trade and the Mediterranean

Türkiye’s engagement with Libya has expanded considerably over the past several years, encompassing security, energy, trade and maritime cooperation.

A landmark step came in November 2019, when Türkiye and Libya’s then Government of National Accord signed a memorandum on the delimitation of maritime jurisdiction areas in the Mediterranean. 

The agreement, registered with the United Nations, defines a maritime boundary between the two countries’ continental shelf and exclusive economic zone areas.

The accord has remained a central element of Türkiye-Libya relations and the wider geopolitical debate over maritime boundaries in the Eastern Mediterranean.