Dbeibeh attends trilateral summit in Istanbul

A trilateral summit is taking place today, Friday, 1 August 2025, in Istanbul, bringing together Libyan Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibeh, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.

The meeting, confirmed by diplomatic sources and reported by regional and international media, is expected to focus on a number of regional issues of mutual concern.

The discussions are centred on economic cooperation across the Mediterranean, joint energy development—including offshore oil and gas exploration—and irregular migration, a topic of shared interest to all three governments.

Efforts to coordinate infrastructure investment and enhance regional stability are also on the agenda.

Libya’s participation in the summit comes amid growing interest from international partners in re-engaging with the country’s economic sectors, particularly energy and transport.

In June 2025, Libya’s National Oil Corporation signed a memorandum of understanding with Turkey’s TPAO to conduct exploratory work in four maritime zones. That agreement is expected to feature in today’s talks.

Italy’s presence at the summit follows a series of diplomatic moves aimed at strengthening ties with North African partners.

Earlier this week, Prime Minister Meloni met with Tunisian President Kais Saied in Tunis. Her visit to Istanbul signals an intent to further coordinate regional efforts on migration, security, and energy.

According to officials familiar with the matter, the summit seeks to build a more coherent framework for trilateral cooperation, while also reflecting a broader effort to manage shared challenges in the Mediterranean.

Observers note that the outcomes of today’s discussions could influence policy direction across several sectors, especially if followed by concrete implementation measures.