Abdul Hamid Dbeibah, the head of the Libyan Government of National Unity, announced that “the Italian government has informed us of the lifting of its ban on Libyan civilian aviation, which has been imposed on the country for the past 10 years, and the resumption of flights in September.”
He expressed his gratitude to Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni for this step in a tweet on Sunday.
Dbeibah emphasized the importance of completing the work of the Libyan-Italian committees regarding efforts to lift Italy’s ban on Libyan civilian aviation and facilitate visa issuance for Libyans. In June, Italian Ambassador to Libya Giuseppe Buccino pledged to increase the number of visas granted to Libyans for entry into Italy.
It is worth noting that the United Nations Security Council issued Resolution 1970 in 2011 under Chapter VII, imposing a no-fly zone over Libya. NATO then launched military operations against Libya under the banner of protecting civilians and enforcing the no-fly zone.
Libya has been experiencing a state of division for many years, with the recent chapters involving a government in Tripoli recognized by the international community, which controls decisions and financial matters. On the other hand, a government appointed by the parliament after withdrawing confidence from the Dbeibah government, led by Fathi Bashagha, has been unable to operate from the capital.
