The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Government of National Accord (GNA) said that the joint Libyan-Italian technical committee announced the start of preparations for the construction of the coastal highway linking the east and west of Libya, in the first quarter of 2021.
In a statement, the MoFA added that the committee is working to solve the issue of debts owed to Italian companies by the Libyan state. It is also focusing on the possibility of resuming flights between Tripoli and Rome, according to the statement.
The Commander-in-Chief of the Libyan National Army (LNA), Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar, held a meeting with the Italian Prime Minister, Giuseppe Conte, the Foreign Minister Luigi Di Maio, and a number of Italian officials in Benghazi.
Haftar and Prime Minister Conte discussed the latest developments in the current political dialogue. According to the statement, Haftar praised the role of the Italian government and its efforts to resolve the Libyan crisis.
Di Maio said that the authorities in eastern Libya agreed to release the eighteen Italian fishermen, who have been detained in Benghazi for over three months. Di Maio pledged Italian support to the stabilization efforts in Libya.
Libyan authorities accused the Italian fishermen of illegally entering Libyan waters. They were arrested and taken to a prison in Benghazi.