Türkiye to become Libya’s primary partner in oil and gas exploration

Musa al-Koni, deputy president of Libya’s Presidential Council, said the House of Representatives’ approval of the maritime memorandum of understanding with Türkiye was the right step. He called for faster coordination with Turkish companies on oil and gas exploration and urged Greece to seek international arbitration if it has a valid claim.

Musa al-Koni, deputy president of Libya’s Presidential Council, said the House of Representatives’ approval of the memorandum of understanding with Türkiye on the delimitation of maritime jurisdiction areas was “a very sound step.” He stressed that the memorandum is based on international law and established practices. He made the remarks to Anadolu Agency in Tripoli.

The Libyan House of Representatives approved on October 20 the memorandum signed with Türkiye in 2019. Al-Koni explained that the memorandum had previously stalled in Parliament because of internal disputes, adding: “We did not want to usurp anyone’s rights; we only wanted our own rights.”

Oil, gas and Turkish companies

Al-Koni said most of Libya’s resources, both offshore and onshore, remain undiscovered, calling for faster coordination with “our Turkish brothers specializing in this field” on oil and gas exploration and extraction. He said Libya needs to discover and develop new fields, adding that Türkiye would be an “essential partner” in this effort.

He expressed hope that major Turkish companies would expand into all parts of Libya, recalling that Turkish companies operating in the west of the country had previously obtained concession areas. He stressed that approval of the memorandum would open the door wide for Türkiye to participate in Libyan projects. He also praised Türkiye’s urban development, saying: “We were honestly stunned by the rapid transformation the Turks achieved in their country,” and added that Türkiye would be Libya’s leading partner in this field.

A message to Greece

Al-Omariya Towers in Tripoli

Regarding Greece’s objections, al-Koni said Libya had been unable to sign an agreement with Athens since the Gaddafi era because Greece “demands more than it deserves.” He described Greek statements following the approval as regrettable and called on the European Union to prevent member states from using their influence against other countries. He added: “If Greece has a right, let it seek international arbitration.”

Al-Koni said that Türkiye, although considered close to one of the parties, is capable of playing the role of mediator. He noted that Türkiye had brought the Libyan parties together several times and was seeking to host an agreement between them in Ankara or Istanbul. He stressed that “Libya is one country, with its east, west, south and all its regions.”

Türkiye to become Libya’s primary partner in oil and gas exploration