Libya: Tripoli-based government rejects Egypt’s hosting of rival PM, expels two diplomats

Tripoli has decided to expel two Egyptian diplomats, giving them three days to evacuate Libyan territory, triggering a diplomatic crisis between Tripoli and Cairo. The decision was made following Mohamad Hamad’s first trip to Egypt as Prime minister of the Benghazi-installed parallel government.

The Prime minister of eastern Libya, whose government is chosen by Parliament and not recognized by the international community, met with Egypt’s PM Moustafa Madbouli.

The Tripoli government expressed dissatisfaction over the meeting in a message posted on X network (formerly known as Twitter) on Sunday August 11. The message challenged Egypt’s posture in Libya and denounced Cairo’s unilateralism.

The visit to Egypt of “a parallel body that enjoys no international recognition” is viewed by the Abdelhamid Dbeibah-led government of Libya as “a break with the unity of the international position, which rejects the country’s return to a state of division and war.” The Tripoli government condemned the Egyptian stance, saying it “threatens the unity and stability of the country” and “clearly contradicts Egypt’s expected supportive role in the Libyan crisis.”

While Cairo remained silent about this development, the camp in eastern Libya deemed Tripoli’s stance as “irresponsible” and said the visit is part of the two nations’ collaboration to reconstruct Libya.

Egyptian businesses are heavily involved in building infrastructure in eastern Libya, particularly in Derna and Benghazi.

There is a lot of friction between eastern and western Libya at the moment, The Libyan National Army (LNA) having made the decision last week to push southwest of Libya, toward the Algerian border, a move viewed in Tripoli as a violation of the ceasefire deal of 2021. Tripoli’s soldiers who presently control this territory were put on high alert.