Niger on Sunday signed a strategic cooperation protocol with the General Command of the armed forces in eastern Libya, led by Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar, aiming to strengthen bilateral relations and widen areas of cooperation, with both sides stressing the importance of continued consultation and coordination.
The protocol was signed at a meeting between the deputy commander-in-chief of the armed forces, Lieutenant General Saddam Haftar, and Niger's Prime Minister Ali Mohamed Lamine Zeine at the General Command headquarters, attended by the head of the eastern Libyan government, Osama Hammad, and a Nigerien delegation of officials and military and political leaders.
According to the Libyan news agency, the talks focused on developing bilateral relations and expanding cooperation, highlighting the deep historical and cultural ties and good-neighbourly relations between the two countries.
Niger's prime minister said in a post on his Facebook page that signing the protocol is part of expanding cooperation in various fields, and that both sides agreed to keep consulting and coordinating and to follow up on the commitments made in the common interest of the two countries and their peoples.
Although neither side officially announced the protocol's contents, Benghazi-based Libyan channel Al-Masar said it includes a strategic security, military and intelligence cooperation agreement covering border security, intelligence sharing and coordination against smuggling and organised crime.
The channel added that the understandings include forming a joint security and military force, setting up fixed positions on the border, and opening a Nigerien consulate general in Benghazi and a Libyan consulate in Agadez.
On the economic side, the channel said the two sides agreed to ease cross-border trade transit, increase trade and support the role of business people and investors, along with understandings paving the way for a direct air link between Benghazi and Niamey.
