A new communication channel between Tripoli and Addis Ababa
LIBYA – An analytical report published by the Ethiopian English-language site Horn Review highlighted what it described as Libya and Ethiopia rebuilding a channel of communication between them.
Late-September meeting carries political weight
The report, summarised by Al-Marsad, said the late-September meeting in Tripoli between Ethiopian ambassador Zerihun Abebe Yigzaw and Taher Al-Baour, the acting head of the Foreign Ministry in the Dbeibah government, carried particular importance.
Shared interests in diplomacy, migration and security
According to the report, the Dbeibah government is seeking to deepen its ties with African states and institutions, while the two sides’ interests converge in diplomacy, migration, security and economic cooperation — giving the relationship a dimension that goes beyond official visits.
An old relationship that lost momentum after 2011
The report noted that relations between the two countries have historically been complex, oscillating under the late Colonel Muammar Gaddafi between ideological disputes and practical understandings, before losing momentum after the upheavals of 2011.
The Joint Ministerial Committee as an institutional framework
It added that the need for official coordination on migration and consular affairs continued afterwards, giving the Joint Ministerial Committee between Tripoli and Addis Ababa importance as an institutional framework for contact.
Managing migration, security, investment and transport files
The report argued that the late-September meeting was not merely a diplomatic exchange, but the start of restoring a regular channel of communication enabling the management of files covering migration, security, investment, transport and consular affairs.
Greater continuity despite political division
It noted that anchoring the relationship through multiple ministerial channels could provide a measure of continuity in a country where political authority remains divided, and reflects Addis Ababa’s drive to use available institutional channels despite the complexities of the regional context.
Ethiopia as an additional channel for African engagement
The report added that the Dbeibah government is seeking through the relationship to benefit from Ethiopia’s established role in African and multilateral affairs, giving Tripoli an additional channel to mobilise support away from the parties that have dominated Libya’s foreign relations in recent years.
Ethiopian support for Libya’s UN Security Council bid for 2028-2029
The report noted that Ethiopia’s backing of Libya’s campaign for a non-permanent seat on the UN Security Council for 2028-2029 is an indicator of the potential to expand cooperation into broader diplomatic arenas.
The file of Ethiopian nationals in Libya
The report also addressed the management of the movement of Ethiopian nationals in Libya and matters of their employment, identity documents, protection and return to their country, as practical shared interests.
Opportunities in agriculture, aviation and reconstruction
It said agriculture and livestock could link Ethiopia’s productive base with demand and capital in Libya, in addition to opportunities in air transport, reconstruction and infrastructure development.
Partnership still exploratory
The report concluded by noting that these opportunities are still distinct from projects already implemented, considering the partnership still in an exploratory stage whose outcomes depend on funding, regulatory frameworks, the security situation and implementation mechanisms.
