Egyptian officials and Libyan eastern commander Khalifa Haftar have held high-level talks in Cairo aimed at tightening border security and managing irregular migration along their shared frontier.
The discussions focused on joint efforts to secure the porous desert border that stretches between Egypt and eastern Libya, a region often exploited by smugglers, traffickers, and militant groups. Both sides emphasized the need for increased intelligence sharing and coordinated patrols to curb arms trafficking and the flow of undocumented migrants.
The meeting comes amid rising concerns in Egypt over the growing number of migrants and asylum seekers using Libya as a launching point to cross into Egyptian territory or onward toward Europe. Officials stressed the importance of addressing the root causes of migration, including instability in southern Libya and a lack of economic opportunities.
Haftar, who controls much of eastern Libya through the self-styled Libyan National Army (LNA), reaffirmed his commitment to working with Egypt to restore order along the border and prevent the infiltration of extremist elements. Egypt, in turn, pledged technical support and logistics to help strengthen surveillance and border infrastructure.
Both parties also discussed the broader regional security implications, with an eye on preventing Libya’s internal conflict from spilling across borders. The talks signal a continued alignment between Cairo and Haftar’s administration, which Egypt sees as a key ally in maintaining stability in North Africa.
The two sides agreed to hold follow-up meetings to monitor progress and implement joint security mechanisms in the months ahead.
