For 12 years, Egypt dealt with Libya’s capital without an embassy there. On Saturday, that ended.
The Egyptian embassy in Tripoli was re-opened, as stated in an official statement issued by the foreign ministry of Cairo, indicating a conciliatory move towards Libya’s western administration. Egypt’s Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty was speaking at the event, where he made references to the building and the deep historical human and cultural connections between the two nations.
Egypt had closed the diplomatic mission in 2014, after many foreign embassies were shut following the establishment of rival administrations in the capital and eastern regions of Libya.
The split is necessary for understanding this move. There is the Libyan National Army of Khalifa Haftar and the House of Representatives on one side, while on the other there is the government of Osama Hammad. In the western region of Libya, Abdulhamid Dbeibah leads the Government of National Unity.
Egypt has historically backed Haftar in the east. An embassy in the west is therefore a notable change of posture.
The opening follows Libya’s eastern parliament’s approval of an already long-running maritime deal with Türkiye. Cairo has stated that it was violating the maritime zone of Egypt.
The coincidence cannot be overlooked even if the statement by the Egyptian ministry did not mention it being caused by any reason. However, Egypt had signaled before this decision. In 2021, Egypt had hinted at its plans to open its embassy.
In a certain news report, Abdelatty met Dbeibah and requested more facilities for Egyptians staying in Libya. In addition, the two also discussed the issue of connecting the gas pipelines, petroleum products and refining Libyan crude oil in Egypt for re-exporting to Libya.
