Libya’s eastern-based parliament approved a disputed maritime agreement with Turkey on Tuesday, reversing years of opposition to a pact that underpins Ankara’s claims in the eastern Mediterranean, Reuters reported, citing two lawmakers.
Libya is divided between a UN-recognized government in Tripoli in the west and a rival administration in the east backed by military commander Khalifa Haftar. Turkey supported the Tripoli government against Haftar’s forces during their 2019-2020 offensive on the capital but has since built ties with his camp.
The decision marks a further rapprochement between Turkey and Haftar’s camp.
The House of Representatives also unanimously revoked two decisions adopted in 2020: one rejecting maritime and security agreements with Turkey and another cutting political relations with Ankara.
The maritime pact was signed in November 2019 with Libya’s then-internationally recognized Government of National Accord (GNA), based in Tripoli.
It drew objections at the time from Greece and Egypt as well as Libya’s rival eastern leadership.
Lawmaker Tarek al-Jeroushi told Reuters the agreement would strengthen Libya’s position as a political, military and economic partner to major powers.
“Some countries may be upset by this agreement, but what matters to us is our national interest,” he said.
Another lawmaker, Aisha al-Tabalqi, said approval followed a detailed explanation of the agreement’s provisions by specialist parliamentary committees.
The state-run Anadolu news agency separately reported that the parliament announced unanimous approval of the maritime agreement in a statement issued in Benghazi.
The pact draws a maritime boundary between Turkey and Libya, supporting their claims to offshore resources in a region where competing claims have fueled disputes over oil and gas exploration.
Greece argues that the boundary disregards the maritime rights of its islands, including Crete, which lies between the Turkish and Libyan coasts. Egypt also rejected the agreement when it was signed.
The European Union reiterated in June 2025 that the pact infringed on the rights of other countries and did not comply with the law of the sea. Turkey rejects that position and claims that the agreement complies with international law and protects its legitimate maritime interests.
Tuesday’s vote removes the eastern parliament’s opposition within Libya but does not resolve the competing claims of neighboring countries.
The reversal follows a sustained Turkish effort to build relations with Haftar’s camp while maintaining support for the Tripoli government.
Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan met with Haftar in Benghazi in August during his first official visit to the city. Turkish intelligence chief İbrahim Kalın has also held talks with eastern Libyan leaders, while Haftar’s son Saddam has made several visits to Turkey.
Ankara reopened its consulate in Benghazi in 2024 as part of that outreach. Its interests include commercial opportunities, energy cooperation and broader support for the maritime agreement.
The contacts represent a substantial shift from the conflict that put Turkey and Haftar on opposing sides. Turkish troops, drones and air defense systems helped the Tripoli government repel Haftar’s offensive, which was backed by Russia, Egypt and the United Arab Emirates.
Libya remains divided between the Government of National Unity in Tripoli, which succeeded the GNA, and a rival eastern administration backed by Haftar. A UN-brokered ceasefire ended the fighting in 2020, but national elections planned for December 2021 never took place.
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