The Saudi Ambassador to Libya, the Chargé d’Affairs, and the remaining embassy staff are expected to arrive in Tripoli, to officially start their work, a Libyan official told Russia’s news agency, Sputnik.
Badr Shaniba, Director of the Foreign Information Department at the Libyan Foreign Ministry did not specify a date for the resumption of work at the Saudi Embassy. He indicated that this will be done once the embassy’s headquarters is prepared.
According to the Libyan official, the step contributes to strengthening Libyan-Saudi relations, which have witnessed remarkable developments in recent years.
Shaniba explained that recent visit by a Saudi delegation on 14 May aimed to secure final arrangements and evaluate the Embassy building, to resume operations.
“This step comes within the strategy of the government to reopen the doors for the embassies of brotherly and friendly countries,” he added.
The Saudi delegation landed at Tripoli’s Mitiga International Airport, and was received by a senior Libyan delegation headed by the Director of the Administrative and Financial Affairs Department of the Ministry, Rashid Abu Ghafah, and the Director of the Arab Affairs Department, Khalifa Al-Qaidi.
Abu Ghafa stressed “the depth of the historical relations that bind the two brotherly countries, and the keenness of the Government of National Unity (GNU) to strengthen them and push them to broader horizons in order to achieve common interests between the two countries.”
In 2014, the Saudi authorities decided to close the Kingdom’s embassy in Tripoli due to the deteriorating security situation.
Notably, Libyan Foreign Minister, Najla Al-Mangoush is in Saudi Arabia to participate in the Council of the Arab League at the level of Arab Foreign Ministers.