Türkiye welcomes Libya's approval of maritime deal

Libya’s parliament on Oct. 20 approved a maritime boundary agreement with Türkiye, reversing its previous rejection of the deal and a decision to sever political ties with Ankara. The House of Representatives in Benghazi voted unanimously to endorse the memorandum of understanding signed between Türkiye and Libya’s former Government of National Accord (GNA) on the delimitation of maritime jurisdiction areas in the Mediterranean Sea. The parliament also repealed Resolution No. 1 of 2020, which had rejected the ratification of two memorandums of understanding between Libya and Türkiye. Additionally, lawmakers overturned Resolution No. 6 of 2020, which had called for cutting political relations with Ankara. The maritime jurisdiction agreement between Türkiye and Libya was signed in November 2019 to establish the boundaries of their respective maritime areas in the Mediterranean. This latest vote represents a reversal of the Libyan parliament’s earlier opposition to the agreements and its previous stance on political relations with Türkiye. The agreement aims to safeguard both countries' rights and interests in the eastern Mediterranean, potentially altering the region’s balance of power. The deal serves as a countermeasure to unilateral actions taken by Greek Cyprus since 2003 regarding the delimitation of maritime jurisdiction areas, which acted unilaterally and contrary to the principle of equity. Greece has sought to limit Türkiye to a narrow maritime zone around the Gulf of Antalya while making maximalist claims in the eastern Mediterranean, as shown in the so-called Seville Map. The agreement confirms Türkiye’s maritime jurisdiction across the Mediterranean and could provoke tensions with Greece, which competes with Türkiye for economic benefits and maritime rights. The deal includes provisions allowing Turkish hydrocarbon exploration within Libya’s territorial waters. In 2022, the two countries signed a hydrocarbon memorandum of understanding, enabling Turkish companies to conduct seismic surveys and drilling operations. On June 25, 2025, the Turkish Petroleum Corporation (TPAO) signed a memorandum of understanding with Libya’s National Oil Corporation (NOC) for a 2D seismic survey in Libyan waters. Under this agreement, TPAO will conduct surveys in four offshore blocks off the Libyan coast, covering an area of 10,000 kilometers (6,214 miles). Data collected during these surveys will be processed within nine months. Libya’s control is divided between rival western and eastern administrations, with the east under military commander Khalifa Haftar. Previously, Türkiye had been a major backer of the internationally recognized GNA in the west. The maritime deal, signed in 2019 by the GNA, was rejected by eastern Libya authorities, leading to a boycott and opposition from Egypt and Greece. According to lawmakers, the agreement strengthens Libya’s position as a political, military, and economic partner to major powers. Some countries might be upset by the agreement, but the focus remains on national interests. The approval of the agreement comes after specialized committees presented a full and detailed explanation of its provisions. The parliament unanimously revoked two decisions made in 2020: one rejecting the ratification of maritime and security memorandums signed by Libya’s GNA and Türkiye, and another calling for the severance of political relations with Ankara. The repeal of these decisions signifies a strategic shift, building on Ankara’s military-to-military contacts with Haftar’s self-styled Libyan National Army (LNA). The LNA, long believed to have received support from Egypt and other regional powers, has been in conflict with forces loyal to the Tripoli-based government since the start of the Libyan civil war in 2014. In 2019, Türkiye signed an agreement with the Tripoli-based government, delineating the maritime boundaries between the two countries in the Mediterranean, which triggered protests from Greece and Cyprus. Both European countries condemned the agreement, stating it was a serious breach of international law that disregarded the rights of other eastern Mediterranean countries. In December 2019, Haftar’s LNA nearly encircled Tripoli, threatening to overrun the UN-recognized GNA, which was then led by Fayez al-Sarraj. Türkiye intervened, sending military advisers and drones to halt the LNA advance, changing the course of the Libyan civil war. Seven years later, discussions continue about Ankara establishing further military presence in the region.