Ahmed Kamel – Egypt Daily News
Egypt is continuing intensive diplomatic and consular efforts to determine the fate of its citizens reported missing in Libya, underscoring the issue as a top national priority amid ongoing regional instability. Cairo has launched high-level contacts and coordinated movements with Libyan authorities to clarify the status of the missing Egyptians, assess their conditions, and take all necessary steps to identify their whereabouts.
These efforts are being carried out through close and direct coordination between the Egyptian Embassy in Tripoli and the Egyptian Consulate General in Benghazi, in full cooperation with relevant Libyan institutions. Specialized departments within Egypt’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs are also actively involved, reflecting the government’s stated commitment to protecting and monitoring the welfare of Egyptians abroad without exception.
The diplomatic push has already yielded tangible results. On November 27, 2025, Egypt successfully secured the release and return of 131 Egyptian nationals who had been held in a detention center in Libya. The operation followed sustained negotiations led by the Egyptian Embassy in Tripoli in coordination with Libyan authorities, enabling the detainees to return safely to Egypt.
According to official figures, since the beginning of this year alone, Egyptian authorities have facilitated the return of 1,132 citizens from Tripoli and western Libya, as well as more than 1,500 citizens from Benghazi and eastern Libya. These repatriations form part of broader, ongoing efforts to address the challenges facing Egyptians living or working in Libya amid fluctuating security conditions.
Alongside diplomatic engagement, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has intensified communication with the families of missing citizens. Regular and expanded meetings are being held to keep relatives informed of the latest developments. On December 21, 2025, Assistant Foreign Minister for Consular Affairs Ambassador Haddad El-Gohary met with more than 200 family members of missing Egyptians, briefing them on current efforts, ongoing contacts with Libyan counterparts, and responding to their questions and concerns.
The ministry has emphasized that Egypt’s efforts remain continuous and uninterrupted, stressing that close coordination with the Libyan side will persist until the fate of every missing Egyptian citizen is clarified. Officials have reiterated that no effort will be spared to ensure the safety and protection of Egyptian nationals.
In parallel, Egyptian authorities have expanded their consular engagement beyond Libya. The Egyptian Embassy in Greece has been instructed to follow up on the sinking of a vessel carrying irregular migrants en route to Greece on December 7, 2025. The embassy is maintaining high-level contact with Greek authorities to provide consular and humanitarian support to the families of victims and to assist affected Egyptians.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Emigration, and Egyptian Expatriates has also urged citizens seeking information or wishing to provide details related to missing Egyptians to contact the ministry’s central hotline, available around the clock, as part of efforts to support ongoing investigations and information-gathering.
As regional migration routes remain fraught with danger and instability persists in parts of Libya, Egyptian officials say safeguarding citizens abroad and maintaining direct engagement with their families will continue to be a central focus of the country’s foreign policy and consular work.
