TRIPOLI- Libya and Algeria agreed Sunday to boost cooperation on border security, illegal immigration, weapons trafficking and “terrorism”, during a visit by Algerian Prime Minister Abdelmalek Sellal.
His trip to Tripoli, which follows a January summit in Ghadames between Algeria, Libya and Tunisia, was marred by protests demanding Libyan Prime Minister Ali Zeidan’s resignation.
The neighbours committed to strengthening frontier security cooperation, halting the proliferation of weapons and monitoring extremist groups.
Further coordination between the Libyan and Algerian interior and defence ministries to secure borders was the main topic of accords signed in Tripoli on Sunday.
Several economic agreements were also signed, and Zeidan told a press briefing “the talks focused on economic, political and transport” issues.
Sellal renewed Algerian support for Libya, but warned about the security chaos gripping the country.
“The worsening security situation is caused by the widespread availability of weapons,” he said, stressing the need for increased vigilance.
Zeidan said both Tripoli and Algiers, in addition to tougher border security and cracking down on illegal immigration, pledged to boost economic cooperation.
He said this would focus on “investment, oil and gas, and electricity”.
Sellal’s trip came as Libyans protesting against Zeidan blockaded several government buildings including the premier’s office and the foreign ministry for several hours.
They want Zeidan to stand down, the lifting of blockades of oil terminals in the east by protesters demanding regional autonomy, and tougher security measures to tackle violence in the main eastern city of Benghazi, a foreign ministry source told AFP.
