Italy’s Deputy Minister Edmondo Cirielli welcomed Benjamin Haddad, the French Minister Delegate for Europe, to the Farnesina. Reaffirming the excellent state of bilateral relations, currently experiencing a renewed phase of dynamism, Cirielli and Haddad agreed on the need to enhance cross-border cooperation and explore deeper synergies between Rome and Paris in development cooperation with African countries. This includes both North Africa and Sub-Saharan Africa, with a particular focus on agriculture and food security.
The meeting also featured a productive exchange on their respective positions regarding the recently signed EU-Mercosur Free Trade Agreement. Both parties underscored the importance of the achievement at the European level while emphasising the need to ensure adequate trade protection for the renowned agricultural sectors of Italy and France. The two government officials also addressed the issue of migration management, with Cirielli highlighting the excellent results achieved by Italy in 2024.
Key topics of discussion included advancing European strategic autonomy, such as strengthening and funding the continent’s defence industry, identifying innovative solutions in technology and strategic communications, and enhancing collaboration in the aerospace sector within the framework of the European Space Agency.
