The Libyan Minister of Labour and Rehabilitation, Ali Al-Abed, said that Libya is ready to receive one million Egyptian workers from today. This came in light of the agreements and contracts signed in Cairo between the two countries, according to the Al-Ahram newspaper.
Al-Abed explained that the Egyptian-Libyan joint high committee signed contracts and agreements, estimated at 19 billion Libyan dinars. He told Al-Ahram that this took place within the framework of the Libyan comprehensive development plan “returning life.”
The plan includes all infrastructure, roads, housing, medical equipment, electricity and transportation.
He stressed that those contracts and giant projects in Libya need qualified and trained manpower, which is present in Egypt. Al-Abed explainined that he discussed the electronic connectivity, which will be completed within days, together with the Egyptian Minister of Manpower. Following this, the direct flights between airports will open between Libyan and Egyptian.
Regarding the Wafid platform that the Ministry of Labour is working on, Al-Abed said, “this electronic link will help in knowing the number of workers who entered Libya, their places of work and their specializations. This benefits them and guarantees their rights.”
“Any worker who is not registered on this platform, his presence is not considered legitimate on Libyan soil. Therefore, the government does not bear his responsibility,” he added.
Notably, Libya and Egypt signed 13 memoranda of understanding (MoU) for the reconstruction of the country, According to Al-Ahram. The MoU’s include one between the Central Agency For Organisation and Administration in Egypt and the Civil Service in Libya. Another agreement was signed to establish a joint commercial committee.
They also included an agreement between the Egyptian Industrial Development Authority and the Libyan Ministry of Industry and Minerals.
As well as ones in agriculture, social solidarity, civil aviation security, oil and gas, and counter-maritime pollution, marine search and rescue, housing, construction, and youth and sports. A number of agreements were also inked between the Egyptian private sector and the Libyan government, according to Al-Ahram.
One of the MoU’s was signed between Libya’s Organisation for the Development of Administrative Centres and the coalition of Egyptian companies Orascom Construction, Rowad Modern Engineering, and Hassam Allam Holding.
The Egyptian coalition also signed an agreement with the Libyan Housing and Infrastructure board to complete the third ring road project in Tripoli. Another agreement was with the Libyan Transportation Ministry to provide maintenance for the Ajdabiya-Jalu highway.
The Libyan General Electricity Company (GECOL) signed an agreement to design and supply two gas stations in the cities of Derna and Mellita. A separate agreement was signed to contract a group of Egyptian advisers to the projects of the two stations.
The Central Bank of Libya (CBL) will finance these projects, according to Prime Minister Abdelhamid Al-Dbaiba, who arrived in Cairo on Wednesday.
The preparatory sub-committees held several meetings prior to the launch of the activities of the Libyan-Egyptian Joint Higher Committee. The committee’s last session was held in 2009, and was headed by Al-Dbaiba and his Egyptian counterpart, Mustafa Madbouly.