Happening in Rome. Ahead of the June 17 conference in the Italian Chamber of Deputies, Deborah Bergamini, Forza Italia’s deputy secretary and head of the foreign affairs department, underscores with our sister website Formiche.net the significance of the port of Trieste, in northeastern Italy, the urgent need to secure maritime routes, and the geopolitical value of deepening relations with both India and Gulf countries.
- Italy is positioning itself as a critical node within the India-Middle East-Europe Corridor (IMEC), leveraging its geographical location and logistical infrastructure.
- “Italy can play a pivotal role as a bridge between the European Union, India, and the Gulf States”, she said.
- “In logistical and commercial terms, the presence of the port of Trieste effectively makes us the natural terminal of Imec. That’s why our role is fundamental,” she added.
Security in the Indo-Mediterranean. Mounting instability between Israel and Iran, as well as tensions in the Horn of Africa, demand coordinated responses to safeguard trade routes.
- “Securing commercial routes is therefore the top priority.”
- According to Bergamini, what’s needed is strategic coordination among all regional actors—and one key could be the development of the “NATO-Med” partnership.
- She reaffirmed the pragmatic, cooperative approach championed by Forza Italia.
India and the Gulf are pillars of Italy’s strategy. Rome aims to strengthen ties with these two strategic regions—core to the Imec project—not only in trade terms but also geopolitically.
- “This is not only relevant commercially, but also geopolitically.”
- “We have identified our objectives; now it’s time to implement them,” Bergamini said, adding that moments of structured dialogue—such as the June 17 event—are essential.
What we’re watching. The conference will feature ambassadors from the US, India, UAE, and France and conclude with a keynote address by Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani.
- IMEC and Indo-Mediterranean issues have captured Italy’s strategic planning interest over the last two years.
