Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani is on a mission to Djibouti today, for holding institutional meetings and visiting the contingent of approximately one hundred Italian soldiers at the Italian Guillet military base, and the frigate Antonio Marceglia, part of the European Maritime Security Mission Aspides (EUNAVFOR).
The mission’s agenda includes meetings with President Ismail Omar Guelleh and Foreign Minister Abdokader Houssein Omar, to whom Minister Tajani confirms his interest in strengthening bilateral relations and security collaboration in the Horn of Africa and the Red Sea. In the defence and security sector, Minister Tajani will enhance the excellent cooperation based primarily on the Italian presence at the military base in Djibouti, which since 2014 has contributed to the training of approximately 9,000 Djibouti’s and Somalia’s security staff.
The agenda for the talks will include Djibouti’s efforts to promote regional stability in light of the renewed tensions of recent months, through the reception of migrants and refugees and the work of the Djiboutian military in the AUSSOM stabilization mission in Somalia, led by the African Union. Italy intends to support this commitment by fostering regional mediation that includes all the Horn of Africa countries, focusing on the development of investment and infrastructure, including ports, as a driver for dialogue and shared growth, following the approach of the Mattei Plan. In this context, Minister Tajani emphasizes his interest in collaborating on the “Djibouti Vision 2035” project, which aims to enhance the country’s role as a trade and logistics hub, leveraging the significant Italian business presence.
Joint support for Sudan will also be discussed in the institutional meetings: Djibouti has actively contributed to the mediation between the parties, within the framework of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), of which it hosts the headquarters and co-chairs the Donors’ Forum with Italy. Minister Tajani will recall the “Italy for Sudan” initiative, aimed at alleviating the suffering of displaced people, particularly women, youth, and children. The initiative will begin its first phase with an aid flight departing from Rome for Port Sudan on December 24, bringing a message of hope on Christmas Eve.
