Flying to Tripoli. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi flew to Tripoli today to participate in the Trans-Mediterranean Migration Forum, a conference organised by the Government of National Unity and led by Prime Minister Abdulhamid Debaiba to address illegal migration.
- At the event, PM Meloni affirmed that the Mediterranean is a top priority for the Italian government and emphasised the importance of Italy and Libya working together.
- She also highlighted the significance of cooperation with the African continent in resolving common issues and promoting economic benefits, particularly in the energy sector.
The key aspect is migration. Migration was the main topic of discussion, which continues to be a significant issue in Italian and European public debates. In a speech, PM Meloni pointed out that irregular immigration hinders legal immigration.
- She explained, “If we look at what has happened in Italy in recent years, we were unable to allow many people to enter legally due to the high number of irregular immigrants.” Meloni concluded, “In order to promote legal migration, my government has increased the number of quotas for the past three years, especially for countries that assist us in fighting against human traffickers.”
- The Libyan and Italian governments have been collaborating for years to prevent illegal immigration, as Libya is one of the key transit points for migration flows from Africa.
An eye on business. More and more Italian companies are coming to the country to invest, including a growing number of Italian small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). However, as pointed out by Nicola Colicchi, president of the Italian-Libyan Chamber of Commerce, there are persistent bureaucratic, administrative, and logistical problems.
- In an interview with the Adnkronos press agency, Mr Colicchi clarified, “The main issue for Italian companies in Libya is that the Libyan banking system is not part of the international system. This creates many problems when it comes to transferring funds.”
- To address this, Mr Colicchi called for a roundtable discussion with the Ministry of Development, the Ministry of Finance, the Bank of Italy, the Customs Agency, and the Revenue Agency, as well as their Libyan counterparts, to regulate these issues and provide Italian companies with a safe work environment.
