CAIRO: Egypt is to reopen its embassy in Tripoli, Libya and start providing consular services to the Egyptian community there, a visiting delegation of officials announced on Monday.
The embassy would open after the completion of what the interim Libyan government described as a re-coordination between the governments of the two countries.
Mohammed Al-Qiblawi, spokesman for the Government of National Accord’s (GNA) Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, said that the visit by the Egyptian delegation was a follow-on to a similar trip in December involving talks between the foreign ministries of Egypt and Libya.
He pointed out that the opening of the consulate would be the first step toward reopening the Egyptian embassy.
Cairo closed its embassy in Tripoli after Libyan gunmen stormed its headquarters in January 2014 and kidnapped a number of embassy staff.
In its first visit in six years, on Dec. 28, an Egyptian security delegation held talks in the Libyan capital with GNA officials to discuss key issues including the reopening of the embassy and the resumption of Libyan flights to Cairo.
Members of the GNA have made a number of similar visits to Cairo, and Egypt recently welcomed the formation of the new transitional government that will succeed the reconciliation government.
Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry also recently met with his GNA counterpart, Taher Siala, and pledged Egypt’s continued support for efforts to stabilize Libya and find a political solution to the conflict in the country.
“Shoukry confirmed the Egyptian position toward Libya, in order to reach a Libyan, Libyan political solution that preserves the country’s sovereignty,” Egyptian Foreign Ministry spokesman, Ahmed Hafez, said.
