Turkey always sided with Libya in difficult times: PM Dbeibah

TURKEY has always sided with Libya in the North African country’s difficult times, Libyan Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibah said Monday.

Speaking during a dinner event organized by Turkey’s Independent Industrialists and Businesspersons Association (MÜSIAD) in Tripoli, Dbeibah underlined the close bilateral relations between the two countries.

Stating that the meeting, which brought together Turkish and Libyan businesspersons, improved communication between the two countries, and that this development “created a real commercial bridge,” the prime minister said.

Dbeibah said that he welcomed this platform with happiness and satisfaction, and that as the government, they would give the necessary support for this start.

Describing Turkey as a partner country, he said: “Turkey has made great progress in the past years. We want to apply this development that Turkey has done over the years and the experience it has gained in this development process in our own country.”

Turkey and Libya have seen closer ties in recent years, especially after the signing of security and maritime boundary pacts in November 2019, along with Turkey’s aid to help the legitimate Libyan government push back putschist Gen. Khalifa Haftar’s forces.

In the recent Libyan crisis, Turkey supported the U.N.-recognized legitimate government in Tripoli against the eastern-based illegitimate forces led by Haftar, who was backed by Egypt, France, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Russia.

Turkey’s support for the Tripoli government was critical to repel the Haftar forces’ offensive to capture the capital Tripoli and led to a period of stability resulting in the formation of the unity government.