Egypt reopens embassy in Tripoli after 12 years to boost ties

Egypt's foreign minister Badr Abdelatty reopened the country's embassy in Tripoli on Saturday, ending a closure that began amid security tensions, according to Xinhua and the Libyan News Agency. Sources differ on the exact closure date, with africanews.com citing 2012 and Xinhua citing 2014.

The embassy had been closed following the chaos after the ouster of Libya's longtime leader Muammar Gaddafi, as reported by africanews.com.

The reopening signals renewed diplomatic engagement between Egypt and Libya's Tripoli-based Government of National Unity, with officials discussing ways to enhance bilateral relations and cooperation in various fields, Xinhua noted.

Egypt is seeking to strengthen energy ties with Libya, including projects such as a gas pipeline linking the two countries, refining Libyan oil in Egypt, restoring Libya's refineries, and reestablishing electricity links, according to statements by Abdelatty reported by africanews.com.

Cairo's shift toward Tripoli follows recent developments including its ratification of a disputed maritime agreement with Turkey and a move away from backing the eastern administration led by military commander Khalifa Haftar, africanews.com said.