Today at the Farnesina, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Luigi Di Maio, met the French Minister of Foreign Affairs, Jean-Yves Le Drian.
During their cordial meeting, which took place on the sidelines of the signing of the “French-Italian Enhanced Cooperation Treaty”, the two Ministers discussed the main dossiers on the bilateral agenda, and also confirmed their close coordination on Libya and the Sahel. Minister Di Maio stressed in particular the importance of ensuring free and inclusive presidential and parliamentary elections in Libya on 24 December 2021 and reiterated that the withdrawal of all foreign mercenaries and fighters from Libya is a priority.
On the Sahel, which is a region of strategic importance for Rome and Paris, both Ministers shared strong appreciation for the increasing collaboration between Italy and France, as evidenced by Italy’s participation in the Takuba Task Force, the coalition of European special forces that combats terrorism in the Sahelian region.
The meeting also offered an opportunity to strengthen coordination on other topical international issues, beginning with the latest worrying developments of the conflict in Ethiopia and its repercussions on the Horn of Africa region, and to examine the areas of cooperation on the main dossiers of the French presidency of the Council of the European Union (1 January-30 June 2022).
