ISTANBUL: Turkey, Italy, and Libya have agreed to take joint efforts to tackle the escalating challenges in the Mediterranean basin, while also calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza.
The consensus was reached at a Turkey-Italy-Libya Cooperation Summit hosted by Turkey in Istanbul on Friday.
During the summit, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan highlighted the importance of collaborative efforts between the three nations to address mounting challenges in the Mediterranean region, particularly the issue of irregular migration, according to Turkey’s Communications Directorate.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and Libyan Prime Minister Abdulhamid Dbeibeh were also present on the occasion.
President Erdogan emphasised that tackling the root causes of irregular migration requires long-term, sustainable strategies and called for enhanced multilateral coordination.
The leaders agreed to reconvene after committee-level discussions to review decisions made and to ensure the ongoing effectiveness of cooperation mechanisms, the directorate added.
The Turkish leader also raised the “humanitarian tragedy” in Gaza during the Istanbul talks. He said, “the international community bears great responsibility for establishing an immediate ceasefire and delivering humanitarian aid to the region as soon as possible”.
According to the directorate, Erdogan reiterated that a lasting solution can only be achieved through the creation of a sovereign and independent Palestinian state based on the 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital.
It is pertinent to mention that Libya has been gripped by unrest since the 2011 overthrow and killing of longtime ruler Muammar Gaddafi in an uprising.
The country is now divided between the UN-recognised government in Tripoli and a rival administration based in the east of the country, run by military leader Khalifa Haftar.
At the Istanbul talks, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni discussed a series of options to combat international criminal networks of human traffickers, better prevent irregular movements, and support Libya in managing the migratory pressure it is under, according to a statement from her office.
The summit also reinforced the shared commitment to a UN-backed political solution in Libya.
