Egypt Calls for U.S. Intervention to Block Turkiyeh-Libya Maritime Agreement

Egypt has formally requested U.S. intervention to prevent the parliament in eastern Libya from ratifying a controversial maritime agreement signed with Turkey, a move Cairo fears could escalate tensions in the Eastern Mediterranean.

According to regional sources cited by Middle East Eye, Egyptian officials are concerned that the agreement—initially signed in 2019 by Libya’s western-based government—could be legitimized by its political rivals in the east. If ratified, the deal would recognize Turkey’s claim to an Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) that spans a large section of the Eastern Mediterranean, a region already fraught with geopolitical sensitivities.

An Egyptian official, speaking anonymously, stressed that Cairo is aiming to avoid further instability in the region, particularly as Egypt continues to feel the impact of ongoing conflicts in Gaza and Sudan.

The matter was reportedly raised last month during a phone call between Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty and Masad Boulos, the U.S. senior advisor for Africa. Two officials—one Egyptian and one from another regional country—confirmed that the request for American involvement was discussed directly during that conversation.

U.S. officials are said to be considering engaging with Khalifa Haftar, the de facto leader of eastern Libya, to address the issue. Haftar, who holds dual Libyan-American citizenship, commands significant influence in the region and has been supported at various times since 2011 by international actors including the United Arab Emirates, the U.S., Egypt, France, and Russia.
Eastern Libya Parliament’s Next Steps

Libyan media have reported that the eastern parliament, based in Tobruk and aligned with Haftar, could proceed with ratifying the Turkey-Libya memorandum within the coming weeks. Such a move would formally endorse Turkey’s contested maritime claims, further complicating regional diplomacy and potentially igniting disputes over energy exploration and territorial rights in the Mediterranean.