After a 10-year hiatus, the bear is on the first flight between Italy and Libya

The head of the Interim Government of National Unity, Abdul Hamid al-Dabiba, arrived Monday afternoon in the capital, Tripoli, from Rome, on board an Italian Airlines test flight, which is the first to Libya since the interruption of commercial flights between the two countries for 10 years.

The “Our Government” platform broadcasted on its Facebook page the moments of the Italian Airlines plane’s arrival at Mitiga Airport, and its safe landing, with Al-Dabaiba and his accompanying delegation and a number of passengers coming from Rome on board, where he was received by the Minister of Transportation Muhammad Al-Shahoubi, the Minister of Interior in charge Imad Tripoli, the Italian ambassador to Libya, and a number of officials.

Al-Dabaiba said in statements to reporters at Maitika Airport upon his arrival that today’s flight is a “test flight” for the Italian Airlines company to Tripoli, noting that “commercial flights for citizens will officially start next September.”

Al-Dabaiba affirmed, “The approval rate for granting visas to Libyans has risen to about 75 percent,” praising the Italian government, headed by Prime Minister Georgia Meloni, Italian and Libyan civil aviation employees, and the Ministry of Transportation.

On his participation in the International Conference on Migration and Development held in Rome on Sunday, Dabaiba said: “We have brought the voice of the Libyan people to the world in the migration file, and we have affirmed our position refusing settlement, and our right to obtain international political and security support,” referring to his affirmation, “Our priority in foreign relations is always the interest of the Libyan people.”