Libya’s Eastern Parliament Approves Maritime Deal With Türkiye

Libya’s eastern parliament on Tuesday approved a maritime agreement with Türkiye that it previously rejected, strengthening the political basis for potentially wider Turkish offshore exploration in Libyan waters.

The House of Representatives, aligned with military commander Khalifa Haftar, unanimously endorsed the 2019 accord at a session in Benghazi.

Lawmakers also revoked two resolutions adopted in 2020: one opposing ratification of the maritime and security agreements with Ankara, and another cutting political ties with Türkiye.

The reversal gives the maritime accord backing from authorities on both sides of Libya’s divide.

It follows a change in parliamentary leadership and Ankara’s growing engagement with eastern Libya.

A Reversal in Eastern Libya

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Fayez al-Sarraj, then head of the UN-recognized government in Tripoli, signed the maritime memorandum in Istanbul on November 27, 2019.

They concluded a separate military and security cooperation agreement that day.

The maritime accord delineates continental shelf and exclusive economic zone boundaries between the two countries in the Mediterranean.

Eastern lawmakers had declared the agreements invalid as Türkiye supported the Tripoli government against Haftar’s offensive in 2019–2020.

Turkish drones, advisers and other military assistance helped the western government repel that campaign.

The latest vote removes the eastern parliament’s longstanding political opposition to the maritime arrangement, although regional objections remain.

Ankara Builds Eastern Ties

The decision came two weeks after lawmakers elected Al-Salhin Abdulnabi as speaker, replacing Aguila Saleh. Abdulnabi previously led the parliament’s Libyan-Turkish friendship committee.

Türkiye has meanwhile broadened its contacts with Haftar’s camp through diplomatic visits, military discussions and commercial ties.

Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan met Haftar in Benghazi in August.

Turkish intelligence chief Ibrahim Kalın has also held talks with eastern figures, while Saddam Haftar, the Libyan National Army’s deputy commander, has visited Türkiye.

Turkish companies have become involved in reconstruction projects in Benghazi, adding an economic dimension to the rapprochement.

Exploration Prospects Face Greek Opposition

Parliamentary approval could facilitate additional Turkish seismic surveys and oil and gas exploration in waters covered by the agreement.

The vote itself did not announce a new exploration program.

Greece rejected the decision as having no legal effect, maintaining that the memorandum violates the law of the sea and infringes on regional sovereign rights.

Athens argues that Türkiye and Libya lack the facing or adjacent coastlines needed to justify the boundary and that the agreement disregards Greek islands’ maritime entitlements, particularly those of Crete.