Antonio Tajani’s trip to Egypt. Following his visit to Israel and Palestine, the Italian Foreign Minister reached Cairo, where he met with President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi, Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly and several government Ministers to discuss topical issues – most notably, food safety.
- The mission’s aim, reads an official note, is to launch an Italy-Egypt strategic partnership on food safety to strengthen the Egyptian food system and intensify bilateral cooperation in the agrifood sector.
- FM Tajani also discussed migration with President Al Sisi, with the latter promising to renew efforts to curb irregular fluxes and engage Tunisia to do the same.
- “Greater stability and contrasting the food crisis and climate change mean fewer departures of irregular immigrants,” tweeted the Italian head of diplomacy shortly after.
Meanwhile, Sergio Mattarella is in Kenya. The Italian President landed in Nairobi on Tuesday for a three-day State visit, accompanied by Deputy FM Edmondo Cirielli. His schedule features high-level meetings and cooperation agreements to strengthen the €206 million commercial interchange (2021 data) and political ties between the countries.
- “Kenya is a virtuous example of democracy and social and economic growth,” said President Mattarella after meeting with his counterpart William Ruto, who expressed appreciation for Italy’s effort towards the region’s security and explained that Rome and Nairobi had begun working to eliminate trade barriers.
- The Italian Head of State also touched upon food security, acknowledging climate change-induced droughts as a systemic risk and yet another contributor to migration – which he stressed requires a European solution.
Watch this space. As for elsewhere in the world, Rome is looking to expand tech and industry ties. The Italian President, who signed two bilateral cooperation agreements with his Kenyan counterpart, is slated to hold a speech at the Nairobi University and visit business endeavours, including the San Kizito Professional Training Centre and the E4Impact Accelerator.
- He’ll also touch base at the “Luigi Broglio” Space Centre, a satellite Italian space base used primarily to track a multitude of NASA, ESA and Chinese assets, near Malindi.
- One week earlier, Claudio Descalzi – CEO of Italian energy behemoth Eni – was also in Kenya to discuss energy and agribusiness as part of a wider push to build sustainable biofuels supply chains.
