Egypt has called on the United States to intervene and stop Libya’s eastern parliament from ratifying a contentious maritime delimitation agreement with Turkey- a move Cairo fears would escalate tensions in the already volatile Eastern Mediterranean.
The original deal, signed in 2019 between Turkey and Libya’s UN-recognised western government, has long been viewed as illegitimate by neighbouring states, including Greece and Egypt. The agreement, which attempts to delineate exclusive economic zones (EEZs) in the Mediterranean, was condemned for ignoring the sovereign rights of third countries and violating international maritime law.
At the time, Greece responded by signing its own maritime agreement with Egypt, drawing a direct challenge to the Turkish-Libyan pact. Although Libya’s eastern-based parliament in Tobruk, aligned with General Khalifa Haftar, initially rejected the 2019 agreement, recent developments suggest it may now be reconsidering ratification, triggering alarm in both Cairo and Athens.
According to reports, Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty raised the issue during discussions with US Africa advisor Masad Boulos. The US reportedly agreed to relay Egypt’s concerns to Haftar, the de facto power in eastern Libya, whose government has received varying levels of support from Egypt, the UAE, the US, France, and Russia.
Tensions have also been heightened by Turkey’s deepening ties with Haftar’s camp. Ankara has hosted military delegations from Libya and received visits from Haftar’s son, Saddam, who has also held meetings in Washington. Egypt is increasingly concerned about Saddam Haftar’s growing influence, particularly after reports linked him to RSF-aligned operations in Sudan, which Cairo opposes.
Although Libya remains divided between east and west, widespread conflict has not resumed. Egypt and Turkey continue to back opposing factions, yet both nominally support Sudan’s regular army against the UAE-backed Rapid Support Forces (RSF). Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi recently hosted the Haftar family in El Alamein for high-level security discussions.
Greece’s Foreign Minister, Giorgos Gerapetritis, is expected to travel to Libya in the coming days to address the unfolding situation directly.
Also read: Leaked letter reveals secret Turkey–Syria maritime talks
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