On Friday, the Italian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Antonio Tajani said that “Italy is working to make Libya a stable country. We are talking with everyone. We went to Tripoli with the Prime Minister (Giorgia Meloni), and we provided patrol boats to the Libyan Coast Guard.”
In January, Meloni visited the Libyan capital, Tripoli, where she held talks with her Government of National Unity (GNU) counterpart, Abdel-Hamid Dbaiba.
Meloni described the visit as “positive,” noting the signing of important agreements on cooperation, energy, and combating illegal immigration.
Last week, Tajani announced that two boats will be donated to the Libyan Coast Guard, to combat irregular migration.
“We are increasing assistance to the Libyan Coast Guard. After we handed it a patrol boat recently, we will deliver two more boats (to the Libyans) in the next few days,” the Italian top diplomat said in an interview on Thursday.
Tajani pointed out that the boats will help the Libyan Coast Guard to “prevent the departure of migrant boats.”
He noted the presence of the European Border and Coast Guard Agency (Frontex) in the Mediterranean waters. But he added, “There is certainly a need for more European presence, and for a strong intervention to prevent departures, especially from Tunisia and Libya.”
Notably, the GNU and the Italian Ministry of Defense have signed a technical agreement to train the Libyan Special Forces.
The Chief of Staff of the GNU, Lieutenant General Mohamed Al-Haddad, and the Chief of Staff of the Italian Ministry of Defence, Admiral Giuseppe Cavo Dragone inked the agreement.
According to a statement by Al-Haddad, the agreement was signed during a visit to Rome, on Tuesday.
Tajani noted that an agreement on elections has yet to be reached, despite the efforts of the UN Envoy, Abdoulaye Bathily.