Libya’s Acting Interior Minister of the Government of National Unity, Emad Trabelsi, announced a security agreement with Tunisia to partially reopen the Ras Ajdir border crossing on Thursday. This partial opening will accommodate humanitarian, emergency, and diplomatic cases.
Following a meeting with his Tunisian counterpart, Khaled Nouri, in Tripoli, Trabelsi specified that the border will officially reopen for general traffic on the 20th of June.
Prime Minister Abdel-Hamid Dbaiba met also with Tunisian Interior Minister and his delegation at the Cabinet Office. The meeting was attended by Trabelsi and Libyan Minister of State for Communication and Political Affairs, Walid Al-Lafi.
Discussions focused on the logistics of reopening the Ras Ajdir border crossing and facilitating trade between the two nations. They also addressed resolving name similarity issues at the border and strengthening bilateral relations between Libya and Tunisia.
During the meeting, the Libyan and Tunisian Interior Ministers signed a security agreement under the supervision of the Prime Minister.
The agreement includes opening the four shared gates at the crossing to allow citizens of both countries to pass. It also resolves the name similarity issues for citizens of both countries.
Furthermore, the agreement stipulates the establishment of six electronic registration centres for Libyan citizens’ vehicles. It mandates that no additional fees or fines will be imposed and ensures the border post is kept free of any armed presence.
The Ras Ajdir crossing holds strategic importance as a vital link for both the Libyan and Tunisian people. Its closure on March 19 followed a directive by Libyan Interior Minister Emad Al-Trabelsi and was prompted by armed clashes on March 18 when a law enforcement force arrived at the crossing.
This incident led to tensions, with the Zuwara municipality accusing the force of entering the crossing without coordination with local authorities.
The closure by Libya’s Government of National Unity’s Interior Ministry was in response to security breaches attributed to groups causing chaos and obstructing border operations. Plans to secure the border for its reopening have been communicated, with a strict stance against disorder and warnings of legal actions against those involved in the unrest.
