By Sami Zaptia.
London, 2 June 2021:
As part of his official visit to Rome, Libyan Prime Minister Abd Alhamid Aldabaiba visited Monday the Economic Forum entitled ”The New Libya” which was held at the headquarters of the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation.
He was received by Foreign Minister Luigi Di Maio, and several Italian officials and representatives of companies specialized in infrastructure development, electricity development, energy and health.
Aldabaiba was accompanied during this visit by the Ministers of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Interior, Economy, Oil and Gas, Health, Transportation, Minister of State for Cabinet Affairs, and representatives of a number of Libyan service sectors.
Italy wants to plan its future investment in Libya
The Italian Foreign Minister welcomed Aldabaiba and his accompanying Ministerial delegation and stressed the depth of relations between the two countries. He noted that the volume of trade with Libya is the highest in North Africa and the Middle East, explaining that Italy wants to plan through the Aldabaiba government for the future of its investments in Libya, which can become a home of productive power.
For his part, Prime Minister Aldabaiba expressed his happiness at being in friendly Italy, his first Prime Ministerial European visit, which has strong historical relations with Libya. He stressed that the presence of the accompanying Ministers is evidence of Libya’s seriousness to activate all the projects that it needs to solve the problems facing its stalled projects.
Aldabaiba stressed that security in Libya is better than before but it needs to be reconstructed and partners must be sought to help in achieving this. He explained that Italy is one of the first partners in the oil, construction and health sectors, to develop hospitals, build schools, develop infrastructure and raise oil production rates to reach larger numbers.
The outcomes of the Forum
Reporting on the outcomes of the Forum, the Libyan embassy in Rome said it resulted in an understanding on several topics, the most important of which are:
- Treating Libyan children with cancer in Italy.
- Commencement of the implementation of the Coastal Highway Project linking the Tunisian and Egyptian borders.
- Developing cooperative relations in the field of energy, oil and renewable energy – “green energy from hydrogen and solar energy” – so that the partnership of Libya and Italy in this field would be a source of electrical energy to Europe and the world.
- The two sides agreed that the issue of migration is regional and all of Europe contributes to addressing this file, and Italy will work with Libya in monitoring the southern borders and supporting, strengthening and training the Libyan Coast Guard.
- Agreement to sign a prisoner exchange agreement between the two countries.
