KEY POINTS
- Libya’s eastern parliament plans to vote on a gas exploration deal with Turkey.
- The move signals a major shift after years of hostility between Ankara and Benghazi.
- Energy cooperation could reshape regional alliances in the eastern Mediterranean.
Libya’s eastern-based parliament is preparing to ratify a gas exploration accord that would give Turkey access to the North African nation’s Mediterranean waters, according to people familiar with the matter — a striking reversal after years of hostility between the two sides.
Lawmakers in Benghazi are expected to vote in the coming weeks on whether to endorse a 2019 maritime deal that laid the groundwork for offshore gas and oil exploration, people in both Turkey and Libya said, asking not to be named as the talks remain sensitive. Political hurdles that had long stalled approval of the pact have now been largely cleared, they added.
If approved, the action would increase Turkey’s presence in an area where rival foreign powers have fought for influence ever since the 2011 revolution in Libya. Ankara has provided political and military support to the Tripoli-based government in western Libya, frequently clashing with Khalifa Haftar and his foreign supporters in the east.
Energy ambitions reshape regional politics
The potential agreement demonstrates how Mediterranean alliances are changing as a result of energy politics. With limited domestic reserves, Turkey has been actively seeking offshore exploration projects to bolster its position as a regional energy hub and secure new supply lines. After over ten years of conflict, Libya is still having difficulty stabilizing its economy, which depends heavily on oil, rebuilding its infrastructure, and luring in foreign partners.
The eastern leadership of Libya, who were once fierce rivals of Ankara, would make a major compromise if approved by Benghazi’s House of Representatives. Diplomats view the breakthrough as part of a broader reorientation in the eastern Mediterranean, where political rivalries between Greece, Egypt, and the European Union have frequently resulted from disputes over gas rights.
The UN has warned that increasing foreign involvement in Libya’s energy sector could further exacerbate the country’s divisions and has repeatedly urged nations to abstain from doing so. However, there are plenty of potential benefits: Libya’s Mediterranean waters are still largely uncharted, and any discoveries could have commercial significance at a time when Europe is still looking for alternatives to Russian gas.
The timing is also advantageous for Turkey. Ankara views Libya as a strategic partner for expanding its influence in North Africa, as well as a source of hydrocarbons, given the rising domestic consumption and shifting regional gas markets.
The outcome of the vote, which is anticipated soon, will indicate whether the long-frozen agreement finally comes into force and whether the former adversaries can use energy cooperation as a springboard for more extensive political reconciliation. Discussions are still going on.
