From one closure to another, punctuated by so many reopenings, the Ras Jedir border crossing seems not to have to deviate from this cycle, which disrupts the organization and its functioning, with all the consequences that can be imagined for both Libyan and Tunisian users.
For the moment, and since this weekend, it is an umpteenth resumption of traffic, as announced by an official Tunisian-Libyan delegation.
This resumption comes at the end of a series of meetings between the two parties with the aim of guaranteeing the best conditions and the fluidity of trade movements in a way that serves the traders and the economy of both countries.
To this end, the Regional Director of Customs in Medina, Issam Zreik, announced that commercial traffic will resume on Saturday, facilitated by new facilities adopted on the Libyan side through the creation of a corridor dedicated to commercial traffic, which will have a positive impact on the Tunisian side.
As a reminder, commercial traffic at the Ras Jedir border crossing has been suspended since last March following a Libyan decision to reorganize the commercial corridors at the crossing point and make the flow of goods more fluid on the basis of new organizational measures.
The contribution of SSA
New organizational measures, and not only at the level of patrols along the border between Libya and Tunisia, to “combat illegal activities and strengthen security, the Stability Support Apparatus (SSA) of Nalut”, a town located 269 km from Tripoli, specifies the Libyan Express website, adding that these operations will focus on remote desert areas known for smuggling and illegal crossings.
The SSA stressed the vital role of border security in protecting the country, describing it as the “first line of defense” against threats such as arms and drug smuggling and the infiltration of terrorist elements.
“Securing the borders contributes to strengthening internal stability by combating cross-border crime and enforcing the sovereignty of the Libyan state over all its territories,” the Stability Support Apparatus said in a statement.
The increased patrols are the latest in a series of measures to strengthen the security of Libya’s borders. The government is also working with the Tunisian authorities to address these common challenges.
The Stability Support Apparatus, established in 2021, is a Libyan government agency responsible for internal security. Its mission is to protect government officials and buildings, participate in combat operations and arrest people suspected of attacking national security.
Sfax on the front line
The Sfax Chamber of Commerce and Industry has confirmed its contribution to the management of the Ben Guerdane Free Zone, which will be created by the State at the beginning of 2024 and will organize transactions between Tunisian economic operators and their counterparts in Libya and other African economic operators.
The Sfax Chamber of Commerce and Industry organized a forum entitled “Export financing mechanisms to Libya”, attended by representatives of more than 30 economic institutions affiliated to the Chamber.
Speaking on the sidelines of the forum, Hichem Elloumi, Director General of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Sfax, said that this was an opportunity to bring together business operators in the south, particularly in the Sfax region, with the executives of the Tunisian-Libyan Bank, in order to get an idea of the prospects for exports to Libya and the mechanisms available in this field, and above all to listen to the concerns of these economic operators with regard to trade with Libya and other African countries.
Elloumi recalled the long-standing relations that link the Sfax Chamber of Commerce and Industry with chambers in Africa, such as Libya and Algeria, due to their geographical proximity and in the light of global economic trends.
The program of the Forum included three themes: The first focused on the current situation in Libya regarding the opening of credits, the second on the financial regulation of exports, and the third was dedicated to the discussion of the proposed topics.