Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan met with Mohammad al-Menfi, chairman of Libya’s Presidential Council, at the Turkish House in New York on Monday, as the two leaders discussed bilateral relations and regional developments.

The meeting took place on the sidelines of the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly, where Erdoğan is attending a series of diplomatic engagements.

According to information released by Türkiye’s Communications Directorate, Erdoğan reaffirmed Ankara’s support for efforts aimed at preserving stability in Libya and emphasized the importance of maintaining a political process based on dialogue and reconciliation.

Erdoğan said Türkiye would continue supporting initiatives aimed at advancing stability in Libya, while stressing that Ankara would not support any arrangement that it considers contrary to Libya’s interests.

The two sides also discussed ways to expand bilateral cooperation, particularly in the energy, defense and mining sectors.

Türkiye and Libya have maintained close political and economic contacts in recent years, with Ankara emphasizing the importance of strengthening bilateral cooperation while supporting efforts toward political stability in Libya.

During the meeting, Erdoğan also invited al-Menfi to attend the COP31 Leaders’ Summit, which is scheduled to be held in Antalya.

The talks in New York form part of Erdoğan’s diplomatic program during his visit to the United States for the UN General Assembly, where regional security, bilateral relations and international issues are among the issues on his agenda. (ILKHA)