Ukrainian President, Volodymyr Zelensky said that he is “interested in reaching the next level of relations with Libya.” This came during a ceremony for receiving the credentials of the new Libyan Ambassador, Osama Ablgasem.
The Ambassadors of Cyprus, Austria, and Finland also participated in the ceremony, which took place at the National Sanctuary Complex, “Sophia of Kyiv.”
Zelenskyy’s Office said in a statement on Friday that the Ukrainian President invited the Libyan side to “join the implementation of the Peace Formula aimed at restoring international stability.” He also invited Libya to join the Grain from Ukraine initiative, “which aims to significantly increase the supply of food to the countries of Africa and Asia, and alleviate the global food crisis.”
“Ukraine is interested in expanding the representation of Ukrainian business on the African continent, and intends to enhance its diplomatic presence in African countries already this year,” Zelensky added.
On 10 January, Maksym Subkh, the Special Representative of Ukraine for the Middle East and Africa received copies of the letters of credence from Ablgasem, the newly appointed Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the State of Libya to Ukraine.
According to the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry, the two parties discussed ways to intensify bilateral political dialogue. They also discussed “the interaction of the two countries against the backdrop of the full-scale aggression of the Russian Federation against Ukraine.”
Ablgasem confirmed Libya’s unwavering support for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine. “Ablgasem expressed solidarity with the Ukrainian people in resisting the Russian armed aggression,” the statement added.
Subh expressed his hope that the transitional period in Libya will successfully end with fair and transparent elections in the near future.
Last month, the Libyan Embassy in Ukraine announced the suspension of its work, due to the difficult security and living conditions. The Embassy said in a statement that it will announce the new temporary headquarters for the Embassy soon. It noted that it will provide Libyans residing in Ukraine with the temporary address, phone numbers, and communications to provide services.