Italy supports UN efforts to relaunch a political process aimed at unifying Libya's institutions, stated Premier Giorgia Meloni on Tuesday (October 29) during her fourth visit to Tripoli since becoming Italy's first woman premier two years ago. Meloni has focused on strengthening ties with Africa to help curb migrant departures.
During her visit to Libya, Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni also called on Libya's national unity government based in Tripoli to "intensify efforts against human trafficking".
At the Italy-Libya Business Forum, she spoke of a "completely new phase" of bilateral relations, highlighted by new commercial agreements, including the announcement that "ITA Airways will resume connections between our two nations starting in January 2025."
The gathering was attended by local entrepreneurs and by representatives of over 200 Italian firms as well as the Italian minister of business, Adolfo Urso.
The Business Forum had not taken place in Libya for over a decade and was also an occasion for a bilateral meeting between the prime minister of the Libyan national unity government, Abdul Hamid Mohammed Dabaiba.
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Meeting on the management of migrant flows
The meeting focused on the management of migration flows and Premier Meloni also discussed the need to "strengthen cooperation with the countries of origin" of migrants and "to create egalitarian partnerships" with African countries as part of the Mattei Plan. Announced in 2022, the Italian government's plan aims for the economic development of Africa to reduce immigration.
"Mechanisms that only work if productive systems from the two nations that are cooperating talk to one another", stressed Meloni, noting that "the relations with Libya" represent a "priority for Italy and a priority for Europe".
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Investment in bilateral cooperation in various industrial sectors
In this perspective, the premier is aiming to boost bilateral relations in various industrial sectors, recalling that "Italy represents for Libya a privileged door to access one of the greatest energy markets in the world -- Europe's -- made of 500 million consumers".
The agreements signed on this occasion included a contract for the Italian firm Todini to resume work on the "Peace Highway," a project dating back to 2008 under Muammar Gaddafi and Silvio Berlusconi, halted by civil conflict. Meloni over the past few months has tried to negotiate with all actors in this scenario.
Meanwhile in Tripoli, she "stressed the commitment of the Italian government to stand with Libya and its population in this new phase of reconstruction and development."
Author: Paolo Cappelleri
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