World

Eastern Libya’s Parliament Ratifies 2019 Turkey‑Libya Maritime Agreement, Sparking EU, Egypt, and Regional Backlash

By Nils Adler

The Tobruk‑based House of Representatives in eastern Libya voted unanimously on Tuesday to ratify a 2019 maritime agreement with Turkey that was originally signed by the internationally recognised Government of National Accord (GNA) in Tripoli. The agreement, signed in Istanbul on November 27, 2019, by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and GNA Prime Minister Fayez al‑Sarraj, sets a maritime boundary between Turkey and Libya in the eastern Mediterranean. The deal allows Turkey to claim large areas of the sea that could contain gas reserves.

The vote marks a reversal of the eastern parliament’s 2020 rejection of the pact. Analysts say the change reflects Turkey’s long‑standing support for Khalifa Haftar’s Libyan National Army (LNA) and the new leadership in the eastern parliament, which elected Al‑Salhin Abdelnabi al‑Obeidi as speaker on October 6.

Egypt and the European Union have condemned the agreement. Egypt’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the pact infringes on Egypt’s sovereign rights within its exclusive economic zone and continental shelf, and that ratification has no legal consequences for Egypt. President Abdel Fattah el‑Sisi, a long‑time backer of Haftar, has reportedly cooled relations with Haftar after the LNA’s use of Libyan territory to funnel support to the Rapid Support Forces fighting in Sudan.

The EU, through a joint statement by European Council President Antonio Costa and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, said the memorandum violates the rights of third states and does not comply with the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). The EU reaffirmed solidarity with Greece and Cyprus, which argue the deal ignores Greek islands such as Crete, Rhodes and Karpathos and threatens the planned Great Sea Interconnector subsea power cable linking Greece, Cyprus and Israel.

Turkey’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs maintains that the agreement is lawful and already in force, citing international law and the principle of equity. Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan dismissed criticism as “entirely legitimate” from a legal and statutory perspective.

Israel and Greece have also condemned the move. Greece said the pact violates international law and briefed the United Nations Security Council. Israel’s government condemned the decision.

The agreement’s implementation will depend on Libyan institutions such as the National Oil Corporation, and the risk of naval incidents in the eastern Mediterranean remains high. The EU’s naval mission enforcing the UN arms embargo on Libya could become involved if tensions rise.

The ratification brings both rival Libyan centres of power – the GNA in Tripoli and the eastern parliament – into support of the maritime deal, but analysts note that the vote does not address the core disputes over budget control, the army and the electoral commission that divide the two factions.