The Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Enzo Moavero Milanesi, was on a mission to Tripoli today, where he met with the Chairman of the Presidential Council Fayez Al Serraj, the Deputy Prime Minister Ahmed Maitig, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mohammed Taher Siyala, and the Head of the Higher Council of the State, Khaled Al Meshri.
Throughout the talks, Minister Moavero Milanesi had a wide-ranging exchange of opinions on issues relative to the strategic partnership between Italy and Libya and to the Country’s security situation, confirming Italy’s all-around commitment to support Libya’s institutional consolidation process. The minister recalled how Italy, by virtue of its geographical location and history, is the natural bridge between Libya and Europe, renewing the hope to relaunch the strategic partnership by building on the mechanisms set forth in the Friendship Treaty of 2008. The minister also confirmed Italy’s willingness to tighten cooperation in the sector of key infrastructure with the aim of relaunching Libya’s economic system.
In his long and comprehensive talks with the Chairman of the Presidential Council Al Serraj, Minister Moavero confirmed Italy’s closeness to the legitimate institutions and people of Libya, assuring his full support for the institutional framework laid down int the Libyan Political Agreement and for the Country’s unity and integrity. Moreover, the minister underscored the importance of relaunching the action of the United Nations Special Representative for Libya Ghassan Salamé, whom he plans to meet in Rome on Monday. In recalling that Libya is a strategic partner for Italy also in the management of migration flows, the minister confirmed Italy’s support to Libya’s Coast Guard and for the excellent results achieved.
In his talks with Deputy Prime Minister Maitig, the head of the Italian diplomacy highlighted the close association and the potential virtuous circle between the Country’s economic recovery and its stabilisation process and expressed the hope of a relaunch capable of upsizing the bilateral economic partnership, making it more modern and better structured and focused on strategic sectors, based on an effective cooperation between the public and private sector.
Within a comprehensive overview of Italian-Libyan relations, which were asserted to be of very high level, the minister’s talk with the Minister of Foreign Affairs Siyalaalso addressed the issue of migration flows. The issues discussed included the numerous and appreciated humanitarian assistance efforts carried out by Italy at the request of the Libyan Presidential Council, as well as the actions performed by Italy in close cooperation with Libya’s central and local authorities in support of Libyan municipalities.
Lastly, Minister Moavero also discussed the issue of the Country’s security situation with the Head of the Higher Council of the State, Al Meshri.
All the talks converged on the need to assure inclusivity in the political process in the perspective of the new Constitution and election process, putting in place the necessary security, legislative and technical preconditions. With reference to the recent actions by the Oil Crescent, which were firmly condemned, it was pointed out that oil facilities and oil production belong to the Libyan people and must remain under the control of the National Oil Corporation (NOC), as laid down in Security Council Resolutions.
