On 1 November, the Libyan-Italian Business and Investment Forum kicked off in Misrata, bringing together approximately 60 Italian and 250 Libyan companies for a series of economic and institutional meetings running until 3 November. The initiative, organised by the Italian-Libyan Chamber of Commerce in collaboration with the Italian Embassy in Tripoli and Unioncamere, with the support of the Misrata Free Zone, is the first sector-wide mission to the Libyan industrial city, following those to Tripoli and Benghazi.
The mission followed the investment agreement between the Free Zone, MSC and Maha Capital Partners, signed last January in the presence of the Deputy Prime Minister Vice-President and Minister for Foreign Affairs, Antonio Tajani, and the presentation of the Free Zone in Rome last July, attended by over 100 representatives of Italian companies.
The Forum focused on opportunities for collaboration in the sectors of industry, infrastructure, energy and services, through B2B meetings and institutional events. The Italian delegation comprised companies from various sectors, as well as the Experimental Zooprophylactic Institute of the Umbria and the Marche Regions and the Port System Authority of the Western Sicilian Sea, represented by its Chairwoman, Annalisa Tardino.
Libyan operators included Brega Petroleum Marketing, Al Naseem, LISCO and United Libya Steel. The programme also involved the Libyan economic Ministries, the Customs Authority, the Libyan Ports Authority, the Libyan Foreign Bank and Misrata Municipality. The participation of the Embassies of Niger, Chad and Sudan confirmed the potential of the Misrata Free Zone as a hub linking Africa, Italy and Europe.
