‘Turkey could lead reconstruction era in Libya’

With the right policies, Turkey could play a crucial role in Libya’s reconstruction period, a top business leader said, reports Anadolu Agency.

Murtaza Karanfil, the head of Turkey-Libya Business Council of the Foreign Economic Relations Board (DEIK), told Anadolu Agency in an interview that Turkey is not seen as a colonial state in the region as many other countries.

Noting that this opportunity should be used carefully, Karanfil said: “Turkey has the know-how and full knowledge of Libya’s business culture.”

He highlighted that there are no security problems for Turkish businesspeople in Libya.

READ: Turkey’s role in Libya reconstruction ‘important’, insists official

Touching on the second conference on Libya in Berlin in late June, Karanfil questioned the decision on the elections scheduled for December 24, 2021, saying “in my opinion, it is a little difficult to hold an election on that date.”

“There is a putschist illegitimate person – warlord Khalifa Haftar – holding power in eastern Libya until now. First, the security issue in the east of Libya must be resolved because the election cannot be held in the shadow of weapons.”

Libyans hope the new unity government will end years of civil war that have engulfed the country since the ouster and killing of strongman Muammar Gaddafi in 2011.

Bloody Haftar – Cartoon [Sabaaneh/MiddleEastMonitor]