National carrier Air Malta flew to Libya for the first time in seven years on Thursday.

The unscheduled flight to Tripoli’s Mitiga Airport transported a delegation led by Finance Minister Clyde Caruana and Air Malta’s executive chairperson David Curmi. 

The resumption of flights between Malta and Tripoli, as well as a visit by aviation security experts from the Interior Ministry at Tripoli and Misurata Airport were among the main points on the agenda. 

Following the one-day visit, Minister Clyde Caruana said that seeing an Air Malta plane on Libyan soil in years is "a positive sign".

"We must continue working together to see progress in aviation. Malta and Libya supported each other on many fronts over the past decades, and we will continue strengthening this strong relationship between the two peoples.”

Curmi added that flight services between the two countries will increase cooperation on several aspects including economic, social and cultural. 

Air Malta said in a separate statement it operated its last scheduled service to Tripoli International  Airport in July 2014. Flights to Benghazi were also suspended following the closure of the airport in May of that year.

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