Libyan-Portuguese relations

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Libyan-Portuguese relations
Libyan-Portuguese Relations (Africa)
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Portugal Libya

The Libyan-Portuguese relations include intergovernmental relations between Libya and Portugal . The countries have had direct diplomatic relations since 1975.

Their relationships are considered good, but not very intense. In addition to the slowly increasing trade and some historical reference points, there are now also connecting elements in the context of EU initiatives such as the European Neighborhood Policy or the Union for the Mediterranean , where Libya has observer status, including the 5 + 5 dialogue .

In 2018, 115 Libyan citizens were registered in Portugal, with 83 most of them in the region of the capital Lisbon. In 2011, 26 Portuguese were registered as consular in Libya.

history

From antiquity to 1900

The Arab Almohad Empire, end of the 12th century: Libya and Portugal belonged to common empires several times

The present-day areas of Libya and Portugal belonged to the Phoenicians ' trade routes , which ran here between the 10th and 4th centuries BC. BC also maintained their own bases. Later, both areas belonged to the Roman Empire as Libya superior and Libya inferior (Libya) or as Province of Lusitania and Province of Hispania ulterior (Portugal) . At the beginning of the 5th century the Vandals invaded Portugal and ruled there for some time. They then moved on to North Africa until they captured 450 Libya.

From 641 onwards, Arabs conquered what is now Libya and in 711 what is now Portugal. Both areas then belonged to the Arab Empire until Portugal became an independent kingdom in the course of its Reconquista in 1139.

Since the late 15th century, the corsairs of Tripoli extended their pirate attacks to ever wider areas of the Mediterranean and into the Atlantic. They also regularly attacked Portuguese towns and ships of the Portuguese Navy and merchant fleet. In doing so, they also hindered the trade routes of the Portuguese Empire , in addition to those of the emerging sea powers Spain and England. Spain finally conquered Tripoli in 1510 and gave the city to the Order of St. John in 1530 . The Portuguese, who traditionally played an important role in the Order of St. John, also worked there.

In 1551 the Ottomans conquered Libya. Tripoli remained a stronghold of the corsairs, who up until the early 19th century, besides Portugal and Spain, caused problems above all for the new sea powers France, the Netherlands and England. However, the activities of the Libyan corsairs had declined since the bombing of Tripoli (1728) and finally came to a complete standstill at the beginning of the 19th century.

From 1900

Revolutionary leader Gaddafi in 1977: Libya first entered into diplomatic relations with Portugal under its head of state Gaddafi in 1975.

From 1911 Libya became an Italian colony , after the Second World War (1939-1945) it came under British occupation and in 1951 became independent as the Kingdom of Libya . In 1969 the officer Muammar al-Gaddafi came to power in a bloodless coup and converted the country into an Arab- socialist state. The semi-fascist Estado Novo regime in Portugal, established in 1932 , did not enter into any relations with Libya.

It was only after the dictatorship was overthrown as a result of the Carnation Revolution in 1974 that Portugal's foreign policy was reoriented. In 1975 Libya and Portugal established diplomatic relations.

On November 3, 1976, the two states signed a cultural agreement, a trade agreement and an agreement on economic, scientific and technical cooperation in the Portuguese capital, Lisbon.

A representative of Portugal was first accredited on April 4, 1989 in the Libyan capital Tripoli, but Portugal has not yet opened its own embassy there.

On June 14, 2003, Libya and Portugal signed a mutual investment protection and promotion agreement in Sirte , followed on December 9, 2007 in Lisbon by an agreement on economic cooperation and a cooperation agreement in the fields of education, science, technology, higher education, language, culture and youth , Sports and media.

On August 3, 2007, Portugal opened its own embassy in Tripoli for the first time.

In the wake of the Arab Spring , there were also mass protests in Libya, which ultimately culminated in the civil war in Libya in 2011 . The NATO whose founding member is Portugal, was then decisive force in the military intervention in Libya 2011 . However, Portugal did not participate directly.

On July 28, 2011, Portugal recognized the National Transitional Council.

In connection with the civil war in Libya since 2014 , Portugal left its embassy in Tripoli vacant from April 4, 2014, and since then Portugal's ambassador to Tunisia has been representing Portuguese interests in Libya.

diplomacy

Libya has its own embassy in the Portuguese capital, Lisbon.

Portugal also has its own embassy in the Libyan capital Tripoli, but it has been temporarily closed since 2014. Portugal's ambassador to Tunisia is provisionally responsible for Libya.

Mutual consulates have not been set up.

economy

Bilateral trade is still comparatively low, but since the decline in the exchange of goods as a result of the civil war in Libya in 2011 , trade has now grown again. In 2016, the trade volume between Libya and Portugal amounted to 36.6 million euros (2012: 420.4 million), with a trade surplus in favor of Portugal of 34.0 million euros (2012: 377.6 million In favor of Libya). This placed Libya in 88th place as a buyer and 143rd as a supplier in Portuguese foreign trade, while Portugal was in 41st place as a buyer and 32nd as a supplier in Libyan foreign trade. 43 Portuguese companies exported to Libya in 2016 (2012: 110).

In 2016, Portugal exported goods worth 35.3 million euros to Libya ( 2015 : 19.6 million, 2014 : 24.4 million; 2013 : 49.6 million; 2012 : 21.4 million), 74.1% of this was machinery and equipment, 11.4% chemical and pharmaceutical products, 7.3% food, 2.3% agricultural products and 2.0% metal goods.

In the same period, Libya delivered goods worth 1.3 million euros to Portugal ( 2015 : 8.4 million, 2014 : 1.2 million; 2013 : 104.3 million; 2012 : 399.0 million) , of which 60% chemical-pharmaceutical products, 39.9% metal goods, and 0.1% paper and cellulose.

The Portuguese Chamber of Commerce AICEP maintains a contact office at the Portuguese embassy in the Libyan capital Tripoli, and there is also a department for Libya in the Arab-Portuguese Chamber of Commerce in Lisbon, the Câmara de Comércio e Indústria Àrabe Portuguesa .

Sports

The Libyan and Portuguese national football teams have not yet met (as of February 2020).

Occasionally, Libyan players also play for Portuguese clubs, including internationals like Jamal Mohammed , who has played for several teams in Portugal.

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b c d Overview of diplomatic relations with Libya at the diplomatic institute in the Portuguese Ministry of Foreign Affairs , accessed on March 25, 2020
  2. ↑ Official Portuguese Aliens Statistics by District , Portuguese Aliens and Borders Authority SEF, accessed on March 25, 2020
  3. ^ Website on Libyan-Portuguese migration (Table A.3) at the Portuguese Scientific Observatório da Emigração , accessed on March 25, 2020
  4. ↑ Fernando Cristóvão (Ed.): Dicionário Temático da Lusofonia. Texto Editores, Lisbon / Luanda / Praia / Maputo 2006, p. 786 ( ISBN 972-47-2935-4 )
  5. ↑ a b c List of the Portuguese ambassadors in Libya at the diplomatic institute in the Portuguese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, accessed on March 24, 2020
  6. ↑ a b Bilateral economic relations between Portugal and Libya , last page of the PDF retrieval from the Portuguese Chamber of Commerce AICEP , accessed on March 25, 2020
  7. ↑ Contact details for Libyan-Portuguese economic relations at the Portuguese Chamber of Commerce AICEP, accessed on March 25, 2020