The "Libyan-Italian Business and Investment Forum – Misrata 2026" opened today in the city of Misrata.
The event was attended by the Minister of Transport, Mohamed Al-Shahoubi; the Mayor of Misrata, Mahmoud Al-Saqutri; the Chairman of the Misrata Free Zone, Mohsen Al-Saqutri; and the President of the Libyan-Italian Chamber of Commerce, Nicola Colicchi.
The forum is organized by the Misrata Free Zone in cooperation with the Libyan-Italian Chamber of Commerce, with the participation of approximately 60 Italian companies and institutions. These entities represent various sectors, including trade, industry, energy, technology, and shipbuilding, among other economic activities.
In an exclusive statement to Libya Herald, Alaa El-Din Baba, Director of the Marketing and International Cooperation Department at the Misrata Free Zone, noted that the forum reflects a serious desire on the Italian side to establish a genuine and sustainable economic partnership with Libya. He added that the goal is to elevate trade and investment relations between the two nations to a more advanced stage, built upon mutual interests and the leveraging of each side's available potential.
Baba explained that the participating Italian companies and institutions have shown clear interest in the opportunities Libya offers—most notably the strategic location of the Misrata Port and the Free Zone. These assets provide significant potential for developing international trade and transit, connecting European and African markets, and strengthening Libya’s role within regional and international supply chains and logistics services.
He added that the Misrata Free Zone aims to translate this interest into tangible partnerships, as well as investment, commercial, and industrial projects. This would contribute to expanding cooperation with the Italian business community and maximizing the utilization of the port’s and the free zone’s infrastructure and operational capabilities.
The forum’s agenda included site visits to several Libyan institutions and companies, alongside the signing of cooperation agreements between the two sides. These initiatives are intended to strengthen the economic partnership and open new avenues for commercial and investment collaboration between Libya and Italy.
This forum serves as a continuation of the efforts made by the Misrata Free Zone to bolster its presence in European markets. It follows a tour organized in the Italian capital, Rome, last July, which was aimed at showcasing investment opportunities within the free zone and establishing direct channels of communication with the Italian business community.