Cooperation between Libya and Italy: Belgassem Haftar claims and the latest political developments

Translated by Irene Cecchi

Belgassem Haftar, Director of Libya’s Development and Reconstruction Fund and General Khalifa Haftar’s son, gave an exclusive interview to Agenzia Nova, outlining the strategic cooperation prospects between Libya and Italy. The interview took place alongside a series of meetings with key representatives from Ita Airways, the Italian–Libyan Chamber of Commerce and Italy’s ambassador in Tripoli, Gianluca Albertini.

Haftar reaffirmed the key role of the partnership with Italy and the European Union in reviving Libya’s economy, focusing on reconstruction and infrastructure development. In addition to investments, he emphasized the priority of security, essential for protecting logistical, energy, healthcare and educational infrastructure.

A central theme of the interview was the 2008 Italy–Libya Friendship Treaty, which includes €5 billion in infrastructure investments. According to Haftar, the treaty needs to be updated to reflect Libya’s evolving economic and political needs. In this perspective, he highlighted the importance of cooperation with Italian companies for the implementation of large-scale projects, including the maintenance of the Wadi al Kuf bridge, for which a bilateral agreement is currently being finalized.

In the healthcare sector, Haftar announced the potential involvement of highly specialized Italian doctors for visits and surgical operations in Benghazi, in collaboration with the Fund he directs. An increased admission of Libyan patients to renowned Italian healthcare institutions, such as the Bambino Gesù Pediatric Hospital in Rome, was also discussed along with the construction of new hospitals and medical centers through partnerships with Italian companies.

The resumption of direct flights between Benghazi, Rome and Milan was another key point of the meeting with aviation sector representatives, held before the interview. Restoring air connections between the two countries is a significant step toward the normalization of bilateral relations and strengthening economic and commercial cooperation.

However, one of the most crucial elements to ensuring the success of this collaboration remains the transparent management of reconstruction funds. Haftar stressed this issue, as Libya lacks a unified budget recognized by both administrations governing the country: the Government of National Unity in Tripoli and the Government of National Stability aligned with General Haftar. As reported by Agenzia Nova, budget lines managed by the Central Bank and other institutions considered neutral are currently “shared” by both of them, while development spending remains a complex issue. In this regard, the Fund’s president outlined mechanisms to ensure transparency, including regular audits, open tenders and direct contracts depending on the nature of the project, underlining the importance of multi-level collaboration with international partners to maintain high implementation standards.

During the interview, Haftar also reiterated that the Fund maintains a neutral stance and does not interfere in the country’s internal dynamics, within a political context marked by prolonged deadlock. In fact, Libya has been unable to complete an electoral cycle due to deep divisions among competing factions. In recent days, Prime Minister Dbeibah stated that the main obstacle to holding national elections is not security but rather the lack of an appropriate legislative framework. Dbeibah recently met with UAE President Mohammed bin Zayed in an effort to restore relations with a country that previously supported the rival faction in the Libyan conflict. On the electoral front, another notable development was the meeting between the head of Libya’s High National Electoral Commission and the Iraqi ambassador to Libya to discuss the transfer of administrative and managerial know-how in electoral matters.

Among the most significant developments in bilateral relations, there is Italy’s return to the Libyan telecommunications sector through a partnership between Sparkle (a TIM Group company) and Al Bawaba, a market that has seen increasing Chinese influence in recent years. One of the most ambitious projects is the extension of the Italy–U.S. BlueMed submarine cable to Libya, reaffirming the strategic importance of cooperation between the two countries.

Belgassem Haftar’s interview thus highlights a renewed momentum in Italy-Libya collaboration, with development prospects across several key sectors. However, political challenges and the need for greater stability remain decisive factors for the long-term success of this cooperation; this is why Italy may decide to strengthen this partnership in other strategic sectors, especially in light of the broader geopolitical framework of the Mediterranean.

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