Eastern Libya parliament approves 2019 maritime deal with Turkiye | Khalifa Haftar News
Libya’s Eastern Parliament Approves Maritime Deal with Turkey, Ending Years of Tensions
By Al Jazeera Staff
Published October 20, 2026
Libya’s eastern-based parliament, aligned with military commander Khalifa Haftar, has approved a maritime agreement with Turkey, marking a significant shift in relations between the two nations. This decision concludes a period of tension following Haftar’s previous boycott of the deal.
On Tuesday, the Tobruk-based House of Representatives voted unanimously to ratify a 2019 memorandum of understanding regarding the delimitation of maritime boundaries in the Mediterranean Sea. This agreement was originally signed between Turkey and Libya’s former Government of National Accord (GNA). Lawmaker Aisha al-Tabalqi stated that specialized committees provided a comprehensive overview of the deal’s provisions during the session.
The recent approval comes six years after the same parliament unanimously rejected the deal in 2020 and severed political ties with Ankara.
Strategic Shift
This latest development represents a strategic pivot that has been underway since last year, following Turkey’s military exchanges with Haftar’s Libyan National Army (LNA). This includes a military cooperation agreement reached in July, which focuses on the development of military facilities and advanced surveillance systems.
The LNA, traditionally regarded as supported by Egypt and other regional powers, has been engaged in conflict with forces loyal to the Tripoli-based government since the outbreak of the Libyan civil war in 2014. In 2019, Turkey’s agreement with the GNA to delineate maritime boundaries provoked protests from Greece and Cyprus, which argued it violated international law and undermined the rights of other eastern Mediterranean nations.
Tarek al-Jeroushi, a lawmaker from the eastern-backed parliament, acknowledged that while some countries might oppose the recent agreement, Libya’s national interests remain paramount. He emphasized that the deal would enhance Libya’s role as a pivotal political, military, and economic partner to significant global powers.
In December 2019, Haftar’s LNA nearly captured Tripoli, posing a significant threat to the UN-recognized GNA under Fayez al-Sarraj. Turkey’s military intervention at that time, which included deploying advisors and drones, altered the course of the civil war.
As Turkey considers establishing a military presence in areas controlled by the LNA, this eastern pivot underscores Ankara’s intention to secure its long-term geopolitical and economic interests in Libya, irrespective of future political arrangements between the various factions.
