Erdogan received Meloni and Dbeibeh in separate official ceremonies held at the Presidential Office in Dolmabahce Palace, according to Turkey’s Anadolu news agency. Following the reception ceremonies, Erdogan held a closed meeting with Meloni and Dbeibeh, attended by Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, Turkish Intelligence Chief Ibrahim Kalin, and the President’s Advisor on Foreign Policy and Security, Akif Cagatay Kilic.
Local Libyan media reported that a trilateral summit would be held today, Friday, in Istanbul between the Head of the “Interim National Unity Government” Abdul Hamid Dbeibeh, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. Al-Wasat reported on Thursday evening that the meeting would cover a wide range of strategic files, primarily key regional issues, economic cooperation among the three countries, the exploitation of Mediterranean energy resources, and migration flows.
The Italian government in Rome announced that Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni would visit Turkey today, Friday, to meet President Recep Tayyip Erdogan at Dolmabahce Palace in Istanbul. Meanwhile, neither the “Interim National Unity Government” in Tripoli nor the Turkish Presidency in Ankara announced the meeting.
It is noteworthy that on the tenth of last July/June, the Ministry of Defense in the “Interim National Unity Government” in Libya signed a cooperation agreement with its Turkish counterpart to enhance the capabilities of the Libyan army as a priority for the institutional development program implemented by the ministry. The joint agreement aims to strengthen military cooperation between the two countries and includes provisions for advanced military training, exchange of expertise, technical and logistical support.
The goals of the Libyan-Turkish joint agreement focus on enhancing readiness and professional competence within the ranks, as this step is part of the Ministry of Defense’s plan to qualify and develop Libyan army personnel. This comes at a time when the Turkish side renewed its commitment to continue supporting Libya in its defense capability development programs, reflecting the depth of partnership between the two countries. In 2019, the previous “Government of National Accord” signed a military cooperation agreement with Turkey, which included sending advisors and building the Libyan army’s capabilities.
In 2022, the Head of the Unity Government signed cooperation agreements with Turkey, including “developing the Libyan air forces’ capabilities (pilots, technology, and physical training).” These agreements also included enhancing border security, combating organized crime, and establishing a joint military committee between the two countries.
