[HIGHLIGHTS] Once the Meloni-Saied meeting is over, agreements are signed with Tunisia

Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni arrived at the Presidential Palace in Carthage, where she was welcomed by the President of the Tunisian Republic, Kais Saied. The Italian delegation includes, among others, the Minister of the Interior Matteo Piantedosi, that of the University and Research Anna Maria Bernini, and the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Edmondo Cirielli.

One of the central themes of the meeting will be cooperation in migration matters. The signing of three instruments as part of the Mattei Plan is expected: an agreement on direct support for the state budget Tunisian in favor of energy efficiency and renewable energy; a credit line for small and medium-sized Tunisian businesses; and a memorandum of understanding between the Italian Ministry of University and research and its Tunisian counterpart which will provide the framework for cooperation in this area. The bilateral meeting between Meloni and Saied will be held and, in parallel, the meeting of the ministers with their Tunisian counterparts. Tunisia is considered a fundamental piece of stability in the Mediterranean and North Africa. Rome plans to continue the main bilateral dossiers on energy cooperation and combating illegal immigration. The Italian government is committed to supporting the Tunisian government in its fight against illegal immigration to the EU and the rest of the world. It is also committed to working with Tunisia on a number of other issues, such as the development of the Togolese port of Sfax and the creation of a new port of call in the south of the island of Lesotho, among them the construction of a link between the port and the port of Bafana, which is expected to be completed by the end of the year. The two countries are also working on a plan to connect the Italian coast with the coast of the North African island of Corsica, which will be the first link between North Africa and the South Atlantic. The aim is to reduce the number of illegal immigrants arriving in Italy, which has been a source of concern for the Italian government.