This month may mark a turning point in Turkish-Libyan relations. Libya’s House of Representatives has approved a maritime jurisdiction memorandum that had remained dormant for years, while a closely guarded meeting in Ankara brought representatives of Libya’s eastern and western administrations together to discuss reunification.
The developments suggest that Türkiye’s diplomatic strategy is delivering results on two fronts: expanding its influence in the Mediterranean as rivals, including Greece, pursue new alliances, and rebuilding connections with North Africa. Despite its factional divisions, Libya remains a significant regional player in the post-Moammar Gadhafi era.
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On Oct. 20, Libya’s House of Representatives approved a maritime jurisdiction agreement with Türkiye that had been awaiting ratification since its signing in 2019. Media reports last Friday disclosed that officials representing Libya’s eastern and western administrations had traveled to Ankara for talks on potentially reunifying the country.
A senior Turkish official told Agence France-Presse (AFP) on Wednesday that the discussions had not yet produced an immediate outcome. The talks concentrated on military reunification, the official said, while negotiations on political unity are expected at a later stage. Even without a breakthrough, the meeting represents a significant opening facilitated by Ankara, which has emerged over the past decade as an influential power broker and mediator in its region and beyond.
Asked by Axadle Times whether the Libyan parliament’s decision had reinforced Türkiye’s regional influence, Aylin Ünver Noi, a professor of International Relations and vice rector of Beykoz University, said the approval was an important development.
“We are also seeing a process come to the fore that aligns with Türkiye’s interests in the region and reflects what Türkiye wants to achieve. However, there is something else worth keeping in mind. Türkiye has a policy regarding gas exploration and extraction activities in the Eastern Mediterranean and, more broadly, across the entire Mediterranean basin. It is trying to manage this process through bilateral relations, but at the same time, it has consistently maintained the same position from the very beginning. Türkiye says it is open to dialogue with all the countries that share maritime boundaries in the region,” she said.
Greece has consistently rejected the memorandum, concerned that it could give Türkiye greater leverage in the Mediterranean. Athens regards Türkiye as a historic rival, even as Ankara works to improve relations with Greece. The agreement could add another layer to the two countries’ longstanding maritime dispute in the Aegean Sea.
Türkiye and Greece both assert rights across the expansive waters. Shortly after the memorandum was approved, Türkiye issued a navigational telex (Navtex) for the Mediterranean, warning of navigational and maritime safety issues connected to work on a natural gas pipeline between Türkiye and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) through late December.
Like the France-led project, the pipeline is expected to provide a lifeline for the TRNC, which remains isolated internationally because the global community does not recognize its sovereignty. The planned connection will run from Mersin in Türkiye to Girne (Kyrenia) in the TRNC, spanning approximately 101 kilometers (63 miles), including 4 kilometers of onshore pipeline.
The Türkiye-Libya agreement has also faced strong criticism from the European Union, whose members include Greece and the Greek Cypriot administration.
If Ankara succeeds in implementing the agreement, Türkiye could obtain access to extensive, unexplored natural gas reserves. However, the maritime area covered by the deal overlaps with a vast zone claimed by Greece.
Noi said Türkiye had sought to ease tensions in the Mediterranean. President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, she noted, had even proposed holding a meeting in Antalya to address the dispute, referring to the Turkish leader’s call for a formula that would protect the interests of all countries bordering the sea.
“This position has not changed. Türkiye continues to pursue it. In his latest statement, the president also said that Türkiye is not trying to do anything against anyone. Rather, it is working toward arrangements that would allow everyone to benefit and produce a win-win outcome,” she said, referring to Erdoğan’s comments following a Cabinet meeting earlier this week.
“But that does not mean Türkiye would accept a situation in which some countries gain disproportionately while others are deprived of their rights. In other words, Türkiye wants these partnerships, but it also wants the process to be managed in a way that prevents any country from pursuing maximalist claims at the expense of others. Türkiye wants everyone to be included and no party to be excluded,” she added.
Noi said Türkiye had previously been left out of Eastern Mediterranean forums. “It was treated as though it had no coastline in the Eastern Mediterranean and no legitimate rights or interests in the region. Today, however, we see that these agreements have set a different process in motion, with Türkiye also beginning to normalize bilateral relations with certain countries. But this does not mean that the president is pursuing this process against anyone. Rather, the message is that Türkiye is not doing this to target others, but to ensure that no one is allowed to undermine its rights,” she also stated.
On Monday, Erdoğan said opposition to the Libya memorandum, particularly from the European Union, lacked a legitimate basis. Speaking after the Cabinet meeting, the president said Türkiye’s Eastern Mediterranean policy was clear and insisted that Ankara had no intention “to score a goal against anyone.”
“We are only occupied with preserving our maritime jurisdiction, rights and interests. We advocate for a peaceful approach to resolve disputes, engaging in dialogue with all littoral countries. We expect all actors, the European Union in particular, to demonstrate the same constructive will,” Erdoğan said.
He argued that confrontational rhetoric served no one. “Even if it means paying a price, we never hesitate in doing the right thing for Türkiye, for the Turkish nation. I remind those trying to exclude Türkiye from the Eastern Mediterranean to respect the joint will of Türkiye and Libya,” he added.
Reunifying Libya
Türkiye also has a strong interest in Libya’s political stability. Ankara could gain a new African partner if it helps foster a more unified Libya, building on the significant expansion of its relations across the continent under Erdoğan’s “Africa opening” policy.
Dialogue between Ankara and Libya’s rival groups has intensified since last year, including outreach to Khalifa Haftar, with whom Türkiye previously had strained relations. Haftar’s son, Saddam Haftar, a senior military figure, and Turkish officials have met frequently in recent months.
Noi said Türkiye had been dealing since the Arab Spring with the consequences of uprisings that produced civil wars and failed states in several parts of the region. “They gave rise to problems such as civil wars and failed states in many parts of the region. This triggered a process that undermined the stability of those countries and negatively affected their relations with other nations. Countries that are divided and governed by different groups or rival leaderships also face another disadvantage: external powers can support different factions, further destabilizing these countries and undermining peace and development. From the very beginning of the Arab Spring, Türkiye has opposed the fragmentation of countries and the emergence of failed states, whether in Syria or Libya. On the contrary, it has consistently emphasized principles such as territorial integrity and independence,” she said.
“The same applies to Libya. Bringing the two opposing sides together would strengthen Libya as a unified country. This is something Türkiye wants, both in terms of regional stability and the development of its bilateral relations. However, Türkiye’s role must not be destabilizing; on the contrary, its support has always been aimed at promoting stability,” she added.
Noi said Türkiye had become an important participant in mediation efforts in recent years, with the Foreign Ministry institutionalizing that work through the creation of a directorate-general for mediation.
“Türkiye has made considerable progress in this field, with successful initiatives in various parts of the world, including mediation efforts across the African continent. Therefore, Türkiye may have taken an important step in Libya by helping bring together groups that have been at odds within the country. Türkiye has already pursued a similar approach in Syria, as you know. It supports a unified Syria and wants groups pursuing separatist aims to be reintegrated into the country. Türkiye has never sought the division, fragmentation or weakening of its neighbors or other countries in the region. Instead, it has wanted them to remain unified, strong and capable of contributing to regional stability. This would be an important development both for bilateral relations and for the future and survival of the country concerned. That is what Türkiye hopes to achieve. We have already seen progress in this direction in recent days,” she said.
