French Ambassador to Libya, Mostafa Mihraje, affirmed his country’s commitment, through its membership in the European Union, to lift the ban on Libyan civil aviation.
This statement came during a meeting between the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs for Political Affairs, Mohamed Issa, and the French Ambassador to Libya, at the ministry’s headquarters.
The media office of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Government of National Unity (GNU) stated that Issa expressed his hope for France to play a positive role in lifting the ban on Libyan civil aviation in European airspace, aiming to enhance trade and travel between the two countries.
The Deputy Minister emphasised the importance of France’s support for peace and stability efforts in Libya, as well as its backing for comprehensive national dialogue among all Libyan factions.
Regarding the issue of illegal migration, the Deputy Minister noted the significant number of migrants who perish while crossing the desert or sea.
He affirmed that the GNU will staunchly defend Libya’s sovereignty, security, and stability. He also stated that it would spare no effort in enforcing Libyan laws related to combating infiltration and illegal migration.
Earlier this week, Libya’s Minister of Transportation, Mohammed Shahoubi, met with the French Ambassador to Libya, Mostafa Mihraje, at the Ministry’s headquarters in Tripoli on Monday.
On Monday, Libya’s Minister of Transportation, Mohammed Shahoubi, met with Mihraje, at the Ministry’s headquarters.
The meeting underscored the longstanding cooperative ties between the two nations. Al-Shahoubi expressed the importance of continuing to strengthen these relations across various sectors.
A key focus of their discussions was the potential for cooperation with French companies in the aviation sector, emphasising air transport, maintenance, and training.
Al-Shahoubi specifically invited French companies to return and engage in the Libyan market to contribute to development projects and reconstruction efforts, particularly in transportation projects and the ambitious transit route project from Libya to Africa.
The French Ambassador praised Libya’s participation in the Franco-Libyan forum held in Paris, France, in December 2023, noting the positive outcomes that have furthered cooperation between the two countries in transportation and aviation.
Additionally, Al-Shahoubi appealed to French companies for assistance in addressing the traffic congestion problem in Libya’s major cities, suggesting that Libya could benefit from France’s experience in urban traffic management, as seen in some North African countries.
On 11 December 2014, the European Commission banned Libyan airlines from passing over EU member states’ airspace, due to safety control concerns in a country experiencing periodic security tensions.
