According to the Director General of the National Development Agency (NDA), Mahmoud Furjani, French Ambassador, Thierry Vallat, ‘‘shared several important updates with me, including the appointment of the first French Consul General in Benghazi, the official opening of the French consulate before the end of the year, the establishment of a visa centre in Benghazi, and the opening of air routes between France and Libya.

We (eastern Libya) also affirmed our full cooperation in supporting French language departments at the universities of Sirte and Sebha, as well as in administrative and technical twinning and the transfer of expertise regarding city management with the municipalities of Sirte and Sebha’’.

It must be noted that this information revealed subsequently by Furjani in a personal social media post was not disclosed in either the official NDA or French Embassy report of the Furjan-Vallat official meeting in Sirte.

US Consulate in Benghazi is set to reopen and start issuing visas ‘soon’
It will be recalled that on 19 July Furjani had also divulged, on his personal social media account, that that the US Consulate in Benghazi is set to reopen and start issuing visas ‘soon’.

He had said ‘‘The significant efforts made by General Saddam during his recent (US) visit—engaging with the Secretary of State, National Security Advisor Rubio, Ambassador Berndt, members of Congress, the US administration, and Advisor Boulos—have yielded positive results, leading to a re-evaluation of President Trump’s decision and the resumption of visa issuance’’.

French Delegation Reviews NDA Development Projects in Sirte

US Consulate in Benghazi Expected to Resume Visa Services