Libya and Italy sign contract to implement a 160-kilometer section of the new highway

Tripoli, November 6, 2025 (LANA) – Libya and Italy signed a contract today for the implementation of the first phase of the new Emsaad-Ras Jdir highway project, which will be fully funded by the Italian government, under the Friendship and Cooperation Agreement signed between the two countries in 2008.

The contract includes the construction of the fourth (4.3) branch road, extending from the Al-Aziziya area to Ras Jdir, a distance of 160 kilometers, as part of the strategic project, which has a total length of 1,750 kilometers and connects Libyan cities and regions along the coast.

The signing ceremony took place at the Khuld Palace in Tripoli, in the presence of the Prime Minister of the Government of National Unity, Abdulhamid Dabaiba; the Italian Deputy Foreign Minister, Giorgio Celi; the President of the High Council of State, Mohamed Takala; the Minister of Transportation, Mohamed Al-Shahoubi; as well as a number of Libyan ministers and officials; the Italian Ambassador to Libya; and the head of the Italian consulting firm BMC, which is overseeing the project.

The agreement was signed by Ali Faisal Aqab, head of the Coastal Road Management and Implementation Authority for Emsaad-Ras Ajdir, on behalf of Libya, and by Gian Marco Martini, head of Todini, the company executing the project, on behalf of Italy.

During the signing ceremony, Aqab stated that the project had been halted in February 2011 before being reactivated by the Government of National Unity. He noted the special follow-up by the Minister of Transportation and the bold decisions of the Prime Minister to restructure the project management team with new personnel, including Engineer Mohamed Bouziane, who laid the foundation stone for the project in 2009.

He explained that the project is divided into four main sections: Emsaad-Al Marj, Al Marj-Brega, Brega-Misrata, and Misrata-Ras Ajdir.

He added that the signing of the contract today confirms the commitment to completing the remaining sections in the near future, most notably the 400-kilometer Al Marj-Emsaad section. He emphasized that the road is a vital artery connecting all of Libya's cities and strengthening its development and unity.

Aqab explained that the project is not merely a road, but a bridge for communication and development, a corridor for life and hope. It shortens distances, boosts the economy, provides job opportunities for young people, opens new horizons for reconstruction and development, and revitalizes long-awaited regions and communities.

He noted that the ambition extends to linking this road to the trans-Saharan Highway, a vision aimed at connecting North Africa with South Africa and creating a massive economic corridor stretching from the Misrata Free Zone to Cape Town, South Africa. This will enhance continental integration and open up opportunities for transcontinental trade.

Aqab emphasized that the partnership between Libya and Italy transcends the technical and engineering aspects, solidifying a historical relationship based on mutual respect and shared interests. He pointed out that the project's success will serve as a living example of international cooperation and the Libyans' ability to translate agreements into tangible achievements.

The project's implementation falls within the Italian side's commitment to the terms of the Friendship and Cooperation Agreement signed on August 20, 2008. This agreement includes, in addition to the highway's construction, housing projects, scholarships for Libyan students at Italian universities, and the encouragement of Italian companies to invest in Libya.

This project is a significant step within the "Return to Life" plan launched by the Government of National Unity to rehabilitate and develop infrastructure and the road network in Libya, with the aim of strengthening connectivity between cities, revitalizing economic activity, and supporting sustainable development efforts in the country.

... (LANA) ...