Libyan Parliament Approves Maritime Agreement with Turkey
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The Libyan House of Representatives unanimously approved the maritime agreement with Turkey on October 20, 2026, marking a significant political shift. The vote, which took place during a closed session in Benghazi, saw all 110 participating members approve the agreement signed in 2019. The council also decided to withdraw its 2020 decision to boycott Turkey, signaling a change in the parliament's stance towards Ankara.
The development comes two weeks after the election of Aqeela Saleh as the new Speaker of the House, replacing Agila Saleh, who had opposed the agreement for years. This shift coincides with a rapid political and security rapprochement between Ankara and the military leadership in eastern Libya, which were on opposing sides during the 2019 war in Tripoli. The vote also aligns with ongoing talks in the capital, Tripoli, led by the Turkish intelligence chief Ibrahim Kalin, who met with the Prime Minister of the Government of National Unity, Abdul Hamid Dbeibah.
This vote represents a significant change in the House's position on Turkey. Previously, the parliament was one of the main Libyan institutions opposing the maritime agreement signed between Ankara and the Government of National Accord led by Fayez al-Sarraj in November 2019. On January 8, 2020, the parliament issued Decision No. 1, rejecting the memorandums of understanding on security, military cooperation, and maritime jurisdiction in the Mediterranean, deeming them null and void. Additionally, the council issued Decision No. 6 of 2020, severing political relations with the Republic of Turkey, amidst the height of the military confrontation in Libya, when Ankara intervened to support the Government of National Accord against the attack led by Khalifa Haftar's forces on Tripoli.
Approximately six years later, the same parliament unanimously approved the maritime agreement, with all 110 participating members voting in favor, according to private information obtained by Arabic Post. This shift began before the October vote, as the House had previously taken a preliminary step in June 2025 by forming a technical committee to study the maritime agreement submitted by the interim government led by Osama Hamad.
