Italian Foreign Minister, Paolo Gentiloni, will be back in Tunis today after his two visits to the Country in 2015, one of which took place immediately after the bloody attack on the Bardo Museum in which 23 people, including 4 Italians, were killed. Mr Gentiloni’s visit represents a further opportunity to give new momentum to the two countries’ bilateral relations, following up on the talks held in Rome on 11 December 2015 between Italian Prime Minister, Matteo Renzi, and Tunisian Prime Minister Habib Essid, who jointly decided to launch a wide range of initiatives: fighting terrorism, supporting Tunisia’s democratic process, immigration and bilateral relations. These will be the points on the agenda of Mr Gentiloni’s talks with Tunisia’s President of the Republic, Beji Caid Essebsi and with Foreign Minister Khemaies Jhinaoui.
The talks aim to boost and extend the two countries’ strategic bilateral partnership, by supporting Tunisia’s democracy with an array of interventions in the area of security, institutional and economic cooperation, development cooperation, mobility and culture, as well as with strategic projects such as the Elmed electrical interconnection cable, thus contributing to find common answers to the challenge raised by terrorist groups and by the Country’s serious economic and employment crisis. The initiatives will also be financed through EU funds and contributions by Italian Regional Authorities.
Minister Gentiloni’s diplomatic mission is scheduled to take place immediately after the visit to Tunis by Italian Defence Minister Roberta Pinotti for the Joint Military Commission meeting last 28 April, thus confirming the countries’ close cooperation on security issues, especially in the light of Tunisia’s proximity to Libya, which poses a further threat to the Country. Another point on the Minister’s agenda will be the Economic Forum on agriculture, infrastructure and renewable energy sources, testifying to the confidence that Italy places in the capacity of Tunisian institutions to provide a secure business environment facilitating investments.
