Libyan coast guard officers have begun specialized training on the Greek island of Crete as part of a joint effort to strengthen cooperation and curb the sharp rise in migrant crossings from North Africa to Europe, Greek officials said on Wednesday.
Relations between Athens and Tripoli have been tense since a 2019 maritime boundary agreement between the Tripoli-based Libyan government and Turkey, Greece’s historic rival. Tensions flared again earlier this year after Greece launched a tender to explore hydrocarbon resources off Crete, while a surge in migrant departures from Libya has forced Athens to step up patrols and pass legislation barring migrants arriving by sea from Libya from seeking asylum in Greece.
The fragmented political landscape in Libya—divided for more than a decade between rival authorities in the east and west—has made cooperation complex. Despite this, Greece says it is engaging with both administrations: the internationally recognized government in Tripoli and the parallel administration in Benghazi.
So far, officers from eastern Libya have joined the training program, which covers patrolling, interception, and search-and-rescue operations. Greek sources said officers from western Libya are also expected to join in the coming months.
In a sign of thawing ties, Athens last week invited Libya’s Tripoli-based government to open talks on demarcating exclusive economic zones (EEZ) in the Mediterranean. Technical missions from both sides are expected to hold these discussions in the near future, the sources added.