Libya's eastern-based parliament reaffirms support for Sudan

TRIPOLI, Sept. 28 (Xinhua) -- Libya's eastern-based House of Representatives, the parliament, on Sunday reaffirmed continued support for Sudan amid ongoing regional challenges, according to the Libyan News Agency.

In a meeting in Benghazi between Libya's eastern-based Minister of African Affairs Issa Abdulmajid and a visiting delegation headed by Sudanese Consul General Abdulrahman Mohamed Rahmatallah, Abdulmajid stressed the deep-rooted bilateral ties, noting that Sudan's security and stability are integral to Libya's own.

Abdulmajid reviewed existing bilateral agreements in education, health and agriculture, among others, and called for enhancing bilateral cooperation, especially regarding the two countries' shared border regions.

For his part, Rahmatallah praised the historic depth of bilateral ties, and thanked Libya for its humanitarian support, including hosting displaced Sudanese.

The Sudanese community in Libya is committed to respecting Libyan laws, Rahmatallah said, affirming Sudan's adherence to the principle of non-interference in other countries' internal affairs.

The consulate is about to submit a report to Libya on Sudanese nationals residing in the country, particularly those wishing to return voluntarily to safe areas in Sudan, he noted.

The meeting also covered practical issues, including residency procedures for Sudanese students in Libya, and other challenges facing the Sudanese community in Libya, which Abdulmajid pledged to follow up and address through continued coordination with Sudan.

Libya remains divided since the 2011 NATO-backed uprising that toppled former leader Muammar Gaddafi, split between the UN-recognized Government of National Unity in Tripoli and an eastern-based administration backed by the Libyan National Army under commander Khalifa Haftar.