Libya's PM inaugurates 1st phase of highway built by Turkish company

Libyan Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibeh inaugurated the first phase of a highway connecting the capital Tripoli and the city of Tarhuna built by Turkish construction company Infitah.

The opening ceremony took place Wednesday at the completion point of the first phase in Tarhuna.

The attendees included Minister of Transport Mohamed Shuhubi, Minister of State for Communication and Political Affairs Walid al-Lafi, Dogukan Arda Ulgen, Counselor at the Turkish Embassy in Tripoli, and Yusuf Yildiz, Chief Commercial Counselor at the Turkish Embassy in Tripoli.

After the inauguration, Prime Minister Dbeibeh and the accompanying delegation inspected the ongoing construction work on the highway and listened to the opinions of Libyans using the newly built road.

In his speech at the ceremony, he emphasized that the highway project connecting Tripoli and Tarhuna is one of the Government of National Unity's priorities and is vital for Libyans who face transportation difficulties in the region.

Sukru Atay, general manager of Infitah, told Anadolu that they are continuing the construction of the Tripoli-Tarhuna highway, one of the main arteries linking Libya's densely populated areas.

Atay said the Tripoli-Tarhuna road, built in the 1980s with two lanes in each direction and a width of 7 meters (23 feet), is being reconstructed to a width of 9 meters (29 feet) over its 82-kilometer (50-mile) length.

Emrah Kekilli, vice chairman of the board of the company, said that Prime Minister Dbeibeh inspected both the asphalt work and the construction of concrete barriers separating the highway and instructed company officials to ensure that the work continues swiftly.

Kekilli expressed satisfaction with completing the first phase of the project for the Libyan people and said they are working to complete the second and third phases.