On Tuesday, Italian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Antonio Tajani noted that “Libya is a country with very strategic importance for Italy.”Tajani affirmed that Italy shares the hope that elections will be held soon, with the United Nations.
In an interview with the Italian newspaper “La Stampa”, he revealed his desire to visit Libya, provided there is a clear path leading to elections.
“We’ll get there (Libya) sooner or later, but first we need a clear plan leading to elections. Libya’s stability is essential also for the migration issue,” the Italian FM stated.
Tajani explained that the presence of a unified government in Libya is necessary to curb the fight against illegal immigration, in addition to stopping abuses.
Last week, Tajani expressed his concern about the situation in Libya. At the opening of the fifteenth Conference of Italian Ambassadors in Rome, Tajani said that “there is a great concern and we are working intensively on the diplomatic level on the Libyan issue.”
“We are working with all countries in North Africa and sub-Saharan Africa because we consider them a priority to solve the migration issue, and Italy has close relations with the Mediterranean, not only geographically but also historically,” he said.
Earlier this month, Italian Prime Minister, Giorgia Meloni expressed her hope for Parliamentary and Presidential elections to be held in Libya, as soon as possible.
“We are determined to develop relations with Libya in all fields,” Meloni said in a letter addressed to her Libyan counterpart, Abdel-Hamid Dbaiba.
“Libya’s stability is an absolute priority of Italy’s strategy, as it is an essential element to ensure the security of the entire region. We are ready to do our part to achieve this stability in support of the United Nations while respecting Libyan sovereignty,” she said.
Libya has been in chaos since a NATO-backed uprising toppled longtime leader Muammar Gaddafi in 2011. The county has for years been split between rival administrations, each backed by rogue militias and foreign governments.
The current stalemate grew out of the failure to hold elections in December, and the refusal of Prime Minister Abdel-Hamid Dbaiba, who is leading the transitional government, to step down. In response, the country’s eastern-based Parliament appointed a rival Prime Minister, Fathi Bashagha, who has for months sought to install his government in Tripoli.
