Ati also noted that there are almost daily calls [made] with the Libyan parliament to ensure the protection of the Egyptian diaspora in Libya. But, in reality, the Libyan parliament cannot control what is happening on the ground. On the contrary, its facilities are constantly being attacked by opposing groups.
Ati warned Egyptians against gathering at the Ras Ajdir crossing [with Tunisia] because it's a danger zone in Libyan territory. He pointed out that recent efforts contributed to the evacuation of about 20,000 Egyptians from this crossing, not to mention others who were taken back through the Salloum port. An Egyptian diplomatic source affirmed that the Egyptian authorities “have accurately determined the number of Egyptians working in Libya."
He said the fact that many people travel without official papers contributes to inaccurate information about the Egyptian diaspora in Libya and the spots where they reside. The source said most Egyptians working in Libya have joined big companies, especially in the construction field. On the other hand, the daily wage workers have mostly returned to Egypt.
Regarding the Egyptian stance on reopening its embassy in Libya, the source told Al-Hayat that the [number of] staff working in the embassy’s headquarters in Tripoli is limited. “There’s no intention to allow the Egyptian ambassador to return to Libya before the dust settles and security stabilizes,” the source added.
The Libyan ambassador to Cairo, Mohammed Fayez Gebrayel, told Al-Hayat that granting visas to Egyptians stopped a few weeks ago, saying, “We are making calls with Egypt about the affairs of Egyptians in Libya. It is not possible that the Egyptian government is evacuating Egyptians from Libyan territory, while we grant visas from Cairo. This is an additional burden on Egypt and on the Tunisian state, which is suffering due to the influx of displaced people to the Ras Ajdir outlet.”
He pointed out that the decision to halt visas does not apply to humanitarian and exceptional cases. When asked about the opening and closing mechanism of the Salloum port, the ambassador said that it is the Egyptian government which determines this mechanism and opens and shuts down the port based on security conditions, but what he can say is that “the Salloum port is not working all the time and is not permanently closed.”