During a visit to Libya, Egypt’s top diplomat urged Tripoli to take Cairo’s concerns into account regarding the delimitation of maritime borders and to accelerate bilateral energy projects.
The call was made against the backdrop of a disagreement over a 2019 maritime agreement between Tripoli and Ankara.
On Saturday, November 7, 2026, in Tripoli, Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty reiterated Cairo’s reservations concerning the memorandum on maritime delimitation concluded between Turkey and Libya.
During a meeting with the head of the Libyan Presidential Council, Mohamed Al-Menfi, he emphasised the need to consider Egyptian concerns when defining maritime boundaries between the two nations, in accordance with international law and the United Nations Convention on
the Law of the Sea.
Signed in November 2019 between Ankara and the Libyan Government of National Accord – then led by Fayez Al-Sarraj – the agreement was approved by the Libyan House of Representatives on October 20.
Egypt immediately rejected this ratification, asserting that the memorandum infringes upon its maritime rights and cannot produce any legal effects with regard to Egypt.
This opposition highlights the geopolitical and energy-related stakes surrounding the delimitation of maritime spaces in the Eastern Mediterranean, a region where several countries are seeking to
strengthen their strategic positions.
Beyond this dispute, Badr Abdelatty’s visit focused on bolstering economic and energy ties between the two countries.
Specifically, the Egyptian minister called for accelerating the construction and interconnection of gas pipelines, expanding trade in petroleum products, and finalising electrical interconnection projects.
He also advocated for the completion of projects to refine Libyan crude oil in Egypt – with the aim of re-exporting the product – as well as for the rehabilitation of refineries within Libya. Libya’s Acting Minister of Oil and Gas, Khalifa Al-Sadiq, confirmed that the initiated projects would move forward and announced an upcoming visit to Cairo to further technical discussions.
Bilateral cooperation has also extended to the healthcare sector. Badr Abdelatty and Libya’s Minister of Health, Mohamed Al-Ghouj, signed a memorandum of understanding covering the exchange of expertise, the development of medical services, disease control, and the training of
healthcare personnel.
The discussions also addressed the situation of Egyptian doctors and nurses working in Libya, who have faced payment delays and administrative difficulties regarding their residency permits.
The Egyptian foreign minister indicated that talks are underway with the Libyan authorities to reach a swift resolution.
MK/AK/Sf/fss/as/APA