Eastern Libya receives senior Moroccan politician for talks
Moroccan politician Nabil Benabdallah is set to visit eastern Libya to engage in diplomatic talks with the eastern Libyan government aligned with Khalifa Haftar, according to Yabiladi on September 4th.
Benabdallah, the Secretary General of the Party of Progress and Socialism (PPS), will initially visit eastern Libya, whose Government of National Stability (GNS) is not internationally recognised.
On the agenda during the visit is a conference conducted by the Secretary General which will discuss autonomy as a potential solution to the Sahara conflict- scheduled to take place in Benghazi in front of Libyan politicians and diplomats.
Morocco’s path towards sovereignty over Western Sahara has been strengthened recently by major western countries backing their bid to implement the 2007 Morocco autonomy plan, with Belgium recently lending their support to Morocco.
The foreign minister of the eastern Libyan government is also expected to greet Benabdallah, before the latter will go on to meet the President of the Libyan House of Representatives, which is internationally recognised.
Eastern Libya’s receiving of Benabdallah is the latest vindication of their government’s growing diplomatic ties with other nations. On August 25th, eastern Libya welcomed a Turkish delegation to Benghazi port to enhance military and naval cooperation, as well as exchanging expertise.
Countries in Europe such as Greece has also legitimised Haftar’s grip on eastern Libya through signing a deal to address irregular migration through training coast guard units.
Whilst the GNS attempts to strengthen their international legitimacy against the UN-backed, Tripoli-based Government of National Unity (GNU), eastern Libya have also used these ties to promote domestic development and infrastructural improvement, signing significant development contracts with Turkey for roads and healthcare services, as reported by the Libya Review.
Another visit from an influential political figure from a neighbouring country suggests that eastern Libyan authorities show no sign of relinquishing their stronghold and giving up their place on the international stage.
Yabiladi, Maghrebi.org, Libya Review
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