Italian Foreign Minister, Luigi Di Maio, welcomed his French counterpart Jean-Yves Le Drian, to the Italian Foreign Ministry headquarters in Rome, on Wednesday. The two discussed a number of issues, including the Libyan crisis.
This is the first visit of an official representative from Paris, since the beginning of the COVID-19 epidemic. It comes in conjunction with the reopening of Italy’s international borders. Other topics discussed included the crisis in the Middle East, the situation in the Sahel, and the return of tourism.
It is worth noting that Le Drian held a meeting on the 1st of June, with the Prime Minister of the Libyan Government of National Accord (GNA), Fayez Al-Sarraj, focusing on the need to establish a new ceasefire in the North African country.
Oil-rich Libya has been marred in chaos since the ouster, and killing of Muammar Gaddafi in 2011. It now has two rival authorities, and a multitude of militias vying for control of the country. Turkey is supporting the Tripoli based GNA, while Egypt, the UAE, and Russia support the Libyan National Army, led by Field Marshal, Khalifa Haftar.