As part of a broader effort to curb irregular migration to southern Greek islands, particularly Crete, Greece hosted members of Libya’s coast guard last week for a training programme focused on maritime interception operations.
The initiative follows Greece’s recent deployment of naval vessels off the Libyan coast in response to a surge in migrant arrivals from North Africa. Athens has expressed its intention to strengthen cooperation with Libyan authorities to tackle irregular migration, despite years of strained relations due to Libya’s internal divisions.
According to Reuters, coast guard personnel from eastern Libya participated in training sessions on patrol operations and search-and-rescue techniques on the island of Crete. Officers from western Libya are expected to join the programme in the coming weeks.
Tensions between the two countries have been exacerbated in recent years by the 2019 maritime border agreement signed between Libya’s Government of National Unity and Turkey — a deal that drew strong objections from Greece due to the strategic significance of the contested waters, believed to contain substantial hydrocarbon reserves.
Despite ongoing disputes over maritime boundaries, Greece issued a public tender earlier this year to begin exploratory drilling, prompting criticism from Libya. In a bid to ease tensions, Athens has invited Libya’s internationally recognized government to begin negotiations on delineating exclusive economic zones in the Mediterranean. Talks are expected to take place in the coming months
