The Undersecretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Maria Tripodi, met today with the European Union’s Special Representative for the Sahel, Joao Cravinho.
During the meeting, Undersecretary Tripodi reiterated that the Sahel is a region of strategic importance for Europe. For this reason, Italy does not envisage disengagement from the area but instead supports renewed European engagement in the Sahel, including in the security sector, where requests for assistance from countries in the region are particularly pressing.
“As the new epicentre of global terrorism, it is in our shared interest to halt the growing instability in the Sahel,” explained the Undersecretary, “as it directly threatens Europe through the illicit trafficking of weapons, narcotics and human beings”.
In acknowledging the need to restore constitutional order in several countries in the region, Undersecretary Tripodi reaffirmed Italy’s full support for the work of the EU Special Representative in defining a new European approach to the Sahel—one that provides concrete responses to African partners and prevents further security vacuums in the area.
Lastly, Undersecretary Tripodi outlined the projects and objectives of the Mattei Plan, as a model of equal partnership with Africa that Italy is also promoting within Europe.