The parliament based in Benghazi and aligned with military commander Khalifa Haftar announced on Tuesday that the Tobruk-based legislature unanimously approved the 2019 memorandum of understanding. The accord was originally signed between Turkiye and Libya’s UN-recognised former Government of National Accord to delimit maritime boundaries in the Mediterranean Sea.
Specialised committees delivered a detailed presentation explaining the provisions of the agreement to lawmakers, according to parliamentarian Aisha al-Tabalqi.
The vote marks a reversal from six years ago. In 2020, the same eastern parliament unanimously rejected the ratification of the pact and severed political ties with Ankara.
Tuesday’s repeal of those previous measures solidifies a strategic realignment that has been developing since last year. The shift builds upon military communications between Ankara and Haftar’s self-styled Libyan National Army, including a July agreement aimed at developing military facilities and advanced surveillance systems.
The Libyan civil war began in 2014, leading to a long-running conflict between forces loyal to the Tripoli-based administration and the eastern-based LNA, which has historically received backing from Egypt and other regional powers.
When Turkiye and the Tripoli government signed the maritime delimitation pact in 2019, it immediately provoked sharp protests from Greece and Cyprus. Both European nations condemned the accord, arguing it violated international law and ignored the rights of other states in the eastern Mediterranean.
"Some countries may be upset by this agreement, but what matters to us is our national interest," said Tarek al-Jeroushi, a member of parliament in the eastern-backed legislature. He added that the accord would enhance Libya’s standing as a political, military and economic partner to major powers.
In December 2019, Haftar’s forces had nearly surrounded Tripoli in an offensive against the UN-recognised government, then led by Fayez al-Sarraj. Turkiye intervened by dispatching military advisers and drones, halting the advance of the LNA and changing the course of the conflict.
Discussions are now underway regarding a potential Turkish military presence in regions controlled by Haftar’s forces.
This outreach toward the east aims to protect Turkiye’s long-term geopolitical and economic goals, ensuring its influence in Libya persists regardless of any future political arrangements between the rival administrations.
