The Tunisian ambassador to Libya, Assaad Ajili, met with the Head of the Libyan National Oil Corporation (NOC), Mustafa Sanalla, to discuss strengthening the countries’ cooperation in the oil sector.
A statement issued by the NOC on Wednesday, 20th January 2021, explained that the ambassador visited the NOC headquarters at Tripoli, at the invitation of the Corporation’s Head.
During the meeting, Ajili, said: “Tunisian companies are seeking to enter the Libyan market with the aim of implementing many important projects in the oil sector.”
According to Sanalla, “The Libyan oil sector is promising and presents enormous opportunities for the participation of Tunisian companies.”
Libya and Tunisia are key in each other’s foreign policy as they are neighbouring countries with mutual borders in the West. Trade has also been important for the economies of both countries. In 2018, the value of commercial exchange between the two sides reached 1.2 billion Tunisian dinars ($373 million).
In March 2019, Tunisia and Libya established the first free-trade zone in the Shusha region, 11 kilometres from the Libyan border. The Tunisian authorities aim to integrate the free-trade zone by establishing the unregulated market into the organised trade system, creating 2,000 direct and 6,000 indirect job opportunities.
