ROME, 7 October – Bruno Archi Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs with the remit for Italians Abroad, met this morning in Rome with his French counterpart Hélène Conway-Mouret, who will also meet this afternoon with Minister Bonino. Conway-Mouret had asked for the meeting in order to discuss policies regarding Italian citizens abroad, in consideration of the importance of emigration in the history of our country and also of our lengthy experience with the large Italian communities principally in Europe and the Americas, but also in South Africa, Australia and elsewhere.
Their discussions included the possibility of collaboration between Italy and France, and not least within the EU, on the development of consular services abroad. It was decided that these technical level meetings would continue with a view to sharing best practices and examine their reciprocal applicability.
In addition to an analysis of the problems of traditional emigration, Archi also raised the question of the new international mobility, a “phenomenon that, by definition”, the deputy minister observed, “escapes traditional instruments consular for observation and assistance, and with regard to which it is necessary to adopt a innovative approach”. “Indeed, the modern expatriot, abroad for work or study, often neglects even to register with our consular offices, and maintains contact with his/her home country by computer and through social networks. It is therefore necessary to better identify this “new emigrant” and the extent of the phenomenon, which already seems fairly significant to us at the foreign ministry where we have been studying it for some time”.
