Niger reaches cooperation agreement with eastern Libya’s Haftar
Prime Minister Ali Mahaman Lamine Zeine approved the memorandum, which aims to expand cooperation in several fields.
Niger and Khalifa Haftar, the military commander in eastern Libya, have signed a memorandum intended to deepen bilateral relations through cooperation in several fields. Nigerien Prime Minister Ali Mahaman Lamine Zeine gave his approval to the agreement.
Zeine also traveled with political and military officials to Benghazi, the de facto capital of Libya’s east. Haftar and his clan control the city.
Niger retains relations with both of Libya’s rival authorities and shares a border measuring more than 340 kilometres with the country. Libya’s division dates to 2014, with Prime Minister Abdulhamid Dbeibah leading the UN-recognized government in Tripoli and a competing administration based in the east.
Separately, Turkey hosted discussions in Ankara aimed at reunifying the Libyan administrations, according to a senior Turkish official. Diplomats joined military officials representing both sides at the talks.
The official said the discussions had mainly addressed military unification, with political unity expected to come later. Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan called for reunification and described bringing the sides’ military units under unified control as an important part of that process.
Turkey supported the Tripoli-based government during Libya’s conflict, while its relationship with the eastern authorities has grown warmer in recent years.
