Eastern Libya Parliament Unanimously Ratifies $100B Sea Corridor With Turkey

One hundred percent of the eastern Libyan parliament voted on Tuesday to approve a maritime agreement with Turkey. The unanimous decision formalizes a direct economic corridor connecting the southern coast of Turkey with the northern coast of Libya. This move marks a sharp reversal for the eastern government, which had opposed the initial deal in 2019 when it was signed by the UN-recognized government in Tripoli.

The corridor targets a seabed area where large oil and gas deposits were recently discovered. Estimates suggest natural gas reserves in the zone could be worth several hundred billion US dollars. Ankara and the Libyan government aim to secure joint rights to these resources and begin joint exploitation. The agreement specifically ignores Greek islands, including Crete, Karpathos, and Rhodes.

Greece has announced strong opposition to the pact. Athens claims a comprehensive exclusive economic zone around its islands and argues the new corridor violates third-party sovereign rights. The Greek Foreign Ministry stated on X that the EU supports its position, labeling the memorandum null and void because it conflicts with the Law of the Sea. Kaja Kallas, the EU high representative for foreign affairs, also wrote on X that the Libyan vote infringes upon the sovereign rights of third states.

The legal dispute centers on the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea. Greece cites Article 121, which grants inhabited islands the same economic zone rights as mainland territory. It points to a 2022 International Court of Justice ruling between Colombia and Nicaragua to support its claim for fair demarcation. Turkey argues that Mediterranean geography requires special consideration, noting that full zones for small Greek islands would cut Turkey off from the open sea. Ankara has not signed the convention and does not accept arbitration by a UN tribunal.

Political dynamics in Libya have shifted since the 2019 civil war. Turkey intervened militarily to support the western government and counter General Khalifa Hifter. Since then, Turkish firms have won billions of dollars in reconstruction contracts, and the Turkish state oil company is planning seismic surveys with Libya's National Oil Corporation. Turkey also provides weapons and training to Hifter's forces to limit Egyptian and Russian influence in the east.

The new corridor poses a direct threat to the planned EastMed pipeline, which is designed to transport gas from Israel and Cyprus through Greece to the EU. The pipeline route crosses the area covered by the new maritime agreement. Turkey has previously argued that it must consent to any pipeline or cable projects on its claimed continental shelf. The region may soon divide into two competing blocs: a Turkey-Libya axis and an EU-supported group including Greece, Cyprus, Egypt, and Israel.