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By Libya Herald reporter.
Tunis, 8 February 2017:
Libya and Turkey have agreed to form a joint committee that will expedite the return of Turkish companies so they can resume work on stalled projects. The lifting of visa restrictions on Libyans wanting to go to Turkey was also discussed in today’s meeting in Ankara between Presidency Council head Faiez Serraj and Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim.
Speaking in the Turkish capital today, Serraj said he hoped Turkish companies would invest in Libya because it would contribute to the stability and prosperity of the country. Yilidrim insisted Turkey remained supportive of Libya and would continue to pursue investment opportunities, security permitting.
The talks also covered terrorism, the Libyan dialogue process and issues in the wider region.
Serraj arrived in Turkey last night, accompanied by Foreign Minister Mohamed Siala.
Following his meeting with Yildirim, Serraj later held talks with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
Today’s talks mark an increase in Turkish confidence in regard to Libya. It became only the second country to reopen its embassy in Tripoli a week ago, following the general diplomatic exodus in 2014.
A politically as well as economically major project Turkey is involved in is the Obari power station, long heralded as possible cure to the Fezzan region’s many electricity outages.
On 29 January, Libyan state-owned electricity company GECOL announced the Turkish construction company ENKA Teknik would resume work at Obari. ENKA’s website says it has completed 98 percent of the work and will conduct a survey of the site in the next few weeks.
