Bissau – 12 March 2026 As part of his official visit to the Republic of Guinea-Bissau, H.E. the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of the Libyan Government, Dr. Abdulhadi Al-Hweij, held an official meeting with H.E. the Minister of National Education, Higher Education and Scientific Research of Guinea-Bissau, Dr. Mamadou Badj, at the Ministry’s headquarters in the capital, Bissau. At the outset of the meeting, the Bissau-Guinean Minister welcomed his Libyan counterpart, expressing his appreciation for the visit, which reflects the depth of bilateral relations between the two countries. He also affirmed his country’s commitment to strengthening cooperation with Libya across various sectors, particularly in education. During the meeting, Minister Al-Hweij outlined the Libyan Government’s vision for enhancing educational cooperation with Guinea-Bissau, emphasizing the strategic importance of education and human development as fundamental pillars for achieving sustainable development and consolidating peace and stability. The Bissau-Guinean Minister welcomed this vision, praising the importance of partnership with Libya in this vital sector. The discussions addressed several areas of cooperation, including academic exchange programs between universities in both countries, as well as the exchange of students and faculty members. The two sides also explored the possibility of establishing twinning arrangements between Libyan colleges and universities and their counterparts in Guinea-Bissau. Additionally, they discussed strengthening linguistic and cultural exchange by opening Arabic language departments in universities in Guinea-Bissau, alongside establishing Portuguese language departments in faculties of languages at Libyan universities, thereby enhancing cultural and civilizational ties between the two peoples. The talks also covered cooperation in vocational and technical training, including proposals to send specialized instructors to Guinea-Bissau or host Guinean teachers in Libyan training centers for trainer qualification programs. This would be complemented by recruiting graduates from technical and vocational training centers in Guinea-Bissau to contribute to development projects in Libya. Minister Al-Hweij also announced a grant from the Libyan Government to establish a school in Guinea-Bissau named “Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar School,” in recognition of his role and as a reflection of the strong ties between Libya and African countries. In this context, the Minister extended an invitation to his Bissau-Guinean counterpart to visit the city of Benghazi to meet with Libyan government officials and to set practical steps for enhancing cooperation and partnership in the education sector. For his part, the Bissau-Guinean Minister expressed his appreciation for the Libyan initiatives, welcoming all proposed cooperation programs and reaffirming his country’s commitment to strengthening partnership with Libya in the field of education. At the conclusion of the meeting, the Bissau-Guinean Minister expressed his intention to visit Benghazi in the near future to follow up on the implementation of the agreed outcomes, thereby contributing to strengthening bilateral relations and opening broader prospects for cooperation between the two countries. Following the meeting, Minister Al-Hweij toured the Ministry’s facilities alongside his Bissau-Guinean counterpart, where he participated in a meeting attended by several university presidents. In a speech delivered on this occasion, he emphasized that education is the cornerstone of achieving development and stability in the African continent, stressing that partnership with Libya should be based on genuine strategic foundations, including university twinning, faculty exchange, and the development of joint academic programs. He further affirmed that the future of peace in Africa is closely linked to investment in education and knowledge, and to empowering youth with the skills and training necessary to integrate into the labor market and contribute to building their societies.