The Prime Minister of the Libyan Government of National Unity (GNU), Abdel-Hamid Dbaiba received the new Ambassador of Ukraine to Libya in Tripoli.
The two sides discussed the “latest political developments, ways to strengthen bilateral relations and prospects for their development,” according to a statement by the Libyan government.
Dbaiba urged the Ukrainian Ambassador to “continue coordination efforts with the aim of opening the Ukrainian Embassy in Tripoli.”
The meeting also discussed the issue of the Libyan “Antonov” cargo plane detained in Kyiv, stressing the need to retrieve it as soon as possible.
The Ambassador conveyed the greetings of President Volodymyr Zelensky, and praised the depth of relations between the two countries.
In January 2023, Zelensky said that he was interested in enhancing relations with Libya. This came during a ceremony for receiving the credentials of the new Libyan Ambassador, Osama Ablgasem.
He invited Libya 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.
According to the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry, the two parties discussed ways to intensify the 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 Ukrainian people in resisting the Russian armed aggression,” the statement added.
Subh expressed hope that the transitional period in Libya will successfully end with fair and transparent elections in the near future.
