Summary:

In mid-December 2022, the Tunisian Ministry of Transportation signed a preliminary agreement with its Libyan counterpart setting general terms for opening a maritime transport route between the two countries. The agreement comes following multiple November meetings between representatives from the two countries. The pursuit of opening a sea route coincides with efforts to increase capacity and infrastructure at the primary land border crossing between Libya and Tunisia. Meanwhile, the Tunisian Navy and the Libyan Coast Guard had a brief spike in tensions as the Tunisian Navy dispatched forces to prevent Libyan forces from detaining two Tunisian vessels accused of fishing in a prohibited area.

Outlook:  

Increased cooperation and connectivity between Libya and Tunisia will likely benefit both countries economically in the long term. While increased opportunities for cross-border transit creates additional security issues, both parties are set to see increased economic exchange from the efforts and will benefit from greater ongoing cooperation when security challenges do arise.

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