The Rome-Tripoli summit. On Wednesday, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni welcomed her counterpart from Libya’s interim national government, Abdulhamid Dbeibah, along with a delegation of Libyan ministers (Foreign Affairs, Interior, Transport and Communication), for an intergovernmental summit focused on migrants and energy.
- Deputy PMs Antonio Tajani (Foreign Affairs) and Matteo Salvini (Transport) were also present, along with Enterprise Minister Adolfo Urso and Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi.
Ongoing engagement. “During the long and cordial meeting between the two, [PM] Meloni stressed that the stabilisation of Libya and its political framework is a priority for Italy, for national security and for energy diversification,” according to an official note. Discussion centred on the economy, energy, infrastructure and the main areas of cooperation between Italy and Libya – a “strategic economic partner for Italy.”
- In late January, the Italian PM had been on a mission to Tripoli, accompanied by Ministers Tajani and Piantedosi, for a series of institutional meetings with Libya’s authorities and to sign agreements on cooperation, energy and migration flows.
Focus on: Libyan election. The two PMs discussed the importance of holding presidential and parliamentary elections as soon as possible, leveraging the mediation of the United Nations and UN Representative Abdoulaye Bathily. Italy “will continue to work to ensure greater unity of intent of the international community to guarantee the success of the UN mediation.”
Focus on: migration. The Italian leader expressed her appreciation for the Libyan authorities’ efforts in sea rescue operations and in curbing irregular departures. She also shared her concern for the incoming summer season and highlighted the importance of intensifying efforts to combat human trafficking.
- In early May, Cyrenaican General Khalifa Haftar travelled to Rome to meet with PM Meloni and FM Tajani and engage in a politically-risky discussion on migration – as most of the migrants who take to the seas from Libya depart from Cyrenaica’s coasts.
- PM Meloni also travelled to Tunisia on Tuesday to work towards unlocking international funding to address the country’s economic crisis and stave off the ballooning of migratory fluxes.
- Minister Piantedosi and his Libyan counterpart, Khaled Ahmed Mazen, signed a Declaration of Intent on strengthening cooperation in the field of security.
- “Italy remains determined to confirm its ongoing commitment to support the Libyan authorities in the management of migration flows and in assisting local communities through the Migration Fund projects,” reads the note.
Focus on: energy. The meeting also “highlighted the long and solid cooperation between the two nations in the energy sector.” Both oil and gas are an important contribution to Libya’s stabilisation and economic growth. And the Green Stream gas pipeline connecting them is, according to Rome, a “fundamental tool to foster the process of diversification of energy supply sources.”
- In light of all of this, Eni CEO Claudio Descalzi and Libya’s National Oil Corporation signed an agreement on joint initiatives to reduce emissions – building upon existing cooperation and towards Italy’s incoming energy-and-investment plan.
And then some. Telecom Sparkle and the Libyan Post and Telecommunications Authority also signed a Memorandum of Understanding geared at the construction of an underwater data cable. Finally, Termomeccanica of La Spezia inked an agreement to build urban wastewater treatment plants.
