The Commercial Section of the Embassy of Malta in Tripoli, which is also the representative office of Malta Enterprise in Libya, has intensified its efforts to assist and facilitate trade promotion between Malta and Libya.

Set up in 2000, and currently led by Commercial Counsellor Mr. Noel Hollier, the section serves as a focal point for Maltese companies interested in penetrating the Libyan market and also introduces and promotes benefits and advantages offered by Malta to international companies operating in Libya. During 2008, there was a noticeable increase in the Commercial Office’s efforts to strengthen its network and activities at a time when the Libyan economy is passing through great changes. This offers good prospects of an expansion of two-way trade and investment between Malta and Libya.

In conjunction with various chambers of commerce the Commercial Section has organised a number of fact finding missions to various Libyan cities including Misurata, Benghazi and Tobruk. The main scope behind such visits is to introduce Malta to the respective chambers and their members as an effective business gateway and create valuable business networking opportunities between Maltese companies and their Libyan counterparts.

During 2008, in close cooperation with Malta Enterprise Head Office, the Commercial Office coordinated the participation of Maltese companies in the Tripoli International Fair, the Libya Building & Construction Fair, the Taqnya ICT Fair and the Tripoli Oil and Gas Fair.

To date the Malta Enterprise office in Tripoli has organised over 40 trade missions to Libya and co-organised a Libyan-led trade mission to Malta together with the Libyan Business Council. This event focused on the building and construction sector and over 70 one-to-one meetings were organised during the mission.

The network created by the Malta Enterprise office is meeting its objective of enhancing the capability of Maltese industry primarily by assisting small and medium-sized enterprises to access the Libyan market.

During 2008, no less than 300 specific information requests from Maltese and Libyan businessmen were received and a further 150 detailed requests were also made regarding specialised sectors. Besides, the Malta Enterprise office carried out more than 20 specific market research assignments for Maltese companies.

The impetus created by the commercial section of the Embassy of Malta is set to generate more opportunities for Maltese companies to have their share in the developing economy of Libya during 2009.

In the effort to facilitate and promote trade and commercial contacts between the two countries, the Consulate of Malta in Tripoli regularly issues multiple-entry visas for Libyan business people to travel to Malta to establish contacts and follow-up business with their Maltese counterparts.

Throughout the past months, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has been active to ensure that the efficient manner with which Libyan business persons are issued with multiple entry visas to visit Malta is fully reciprocated by the Libyan side in the issue of multiple-entry visas for Maltese business persons who want to visit Libya. This subject was brought up several times during high level visits on both sides and more lately during the 25th Session of the Joint Commission between Malta and Libya held in Valletta. Bilateral talks on this issue are due to be held in Malta early this year.