The Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Ivan Scalfarotto, is visiting the San Marino Republic, where he was welcomed during the morning by the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Luca Beccari. Their talks centred on relaunching bilateral relations, also by reactivating the Joint Commission that Mr Scalfarotto chairs on Italy’s behalf. This Commission was set up on 15 October this year by Minister Di Maio with San Marino’s head of diplomacy, and it met for the first time on 28 October, followed by intensive dialogue at a political level between the Countries that has been unprecedented in the recent past.
Messrs Scalfarotto and Beccari agreed on the usefulness of moving forward with the bilateral financial dossiers, energy supply, and finalisation of the radio/television agreement, as well as numerous questions affecting all fields of activity. These questions were later discussed further in a discussion that included the Secretaries of State for Finance, Labour, Health, and Industry. The meeting provided the opportunity to acknowledge the wide ranging collaboration currently in place, agreements being finalised, and common goals and strategies – also in light of the current phase of the health emergency – which requires both Countries to exchange data and information constantly and daily, on the measures to be taken in favour of the citizens from both States. Collaboration between Italy and San Marino in the various multi-lateral assizes was also discussed, especially in relation to the negotiations in progress to conclude the Association Agreement between the EU and San Marino, for which the Deputy Minister reiterated Italy’s support.
Subsequently, Mr Scalfarotto met the Secretary of state for Education and Culture, Andrea Belluzzi, with whom he signed the second Executive Programme for Cultural and Scientific Collaboration for the years 2021-2023, drawn up to further cooperation in the education and culture sectors, in sports policies for the youth, the environment, and human rights.
“It was a very full first day of the mission to San Marino,” said the Deputy Minister. “In the discussions with the San Marino authorities we dealt with many facets of bilateral relations, which now affect every sector of activity. We are two Republics that share our history, culture, language, and geography, and we can grasp numerous opportunities from the change in pace that we are bringing to our relations, with conviction, which is strategic for both of us.”
