Libya’s Minister of Oil and Gas, Khalifa Abdelsadeq, held talks with Malta’s Ambassador to Libya, Charles Saliba, to strengthen bilateral ties and expand cooperation in the oil, gas, and energy sectors. The meeting, held on Monday, focused on enhancing partnership opportunities amid Libya’s ongoing efforts to attract foreign investment in its energy sector.
According to a statement from the Ministry of Oil and Gas, both parties discussed developments in Libya’s ongoing licensing round for exploration. The round offers a range of new opportunities for foreign companies, and the officials highlighted the importance of leveraging strong Libya-Malta relations to open new horizons for energy cooperation.
Minister Abdelsadeq stressed that Libya is open and ready to welcome foreign investment, particularly as the National Oil Corporation (NOC) aims to boost national oil production to two million barrels per day. This target, he noted, presents promising investment opportunities for international partners.
In a step toward fostering practical collaboration, Abdelsadeq invited the Maltese embassy to coordinate with private sector companies in both Malta and Libya to organise a joint economic forum. He suggested the event could serve as a dynamic platform for experience-sharing, networking, and forming strategic partnerships in the energy industry.
This comes after Libya launched its first public bidding round for exploration and drilling since 2007. The round, announced by the NOC in March, includes 22 blocks – 11 offshore and the remainder situated in central and southern Libya. The government views this initiative as a major step toward reviving the country’s oil sector and encouraging global investment.
The Libya-Malta dialogue signals growing international interest in Libya’s untapped energy potential and reflects efforts to reposition the country as a reliable energy partner in the Mediterranean.
