Source: Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Italy |

Mission to Tunis of Undersecretary of State for Foreign Affairs Vicenzo Amendola

During the visit, he is participating at the 2017 ECFR MENA Forum “A path through crisis - Mapping an agenda for European leadership in the Middle East and North Africa”

The dinner will also be attended by Martin Kobler, the United Nations Special Envoy for Libya

ROME, Italy, February 1, 2017/APO/ --

The Undersecretary of State for Foreign Affairs,Vincenzo Amendola, is on a mission to Tunis. During the visit, he is participating at the 2017 ECFR MENA Forum “A path through crisis - Mapping an agenda for European leadership in the Middle East and North Africa”. 

Prior to the opening of the conference and its events, Mr Amendola held an individual meeting with Foreign Secretary Sabri Bachtonji, with whom he discussed the various aspects of the upcoming state visit of President Essebsi in Rome (8 and 9 February).

He also met with the Minister for Development and International Cooperation, Fadhel Abdelkefi, where he underlined the support Italy provides to the Tunisan democratic consolidation process as well as to the country's economic development. He is hoping to see concrete results from the Conference Tunisia 2020, held last November, as well as the conclusion of the negotiations on the text of the Cooperation Memorandum of Understanding. 

Italian private investment plans in the country were also discussed. Mr. Amendola reiterated the significance of bilateral relations with Tunisia, a country Italy considers to be of strategic and prioritised importance. He underlined "the Italian government's determination to enhance cooperation on security and the curbing of irregular migration flows." Undersecretary Amendola then met with the Director General of the Tunisian Institute of Strategic Studies (ITES), Hatem Ben Salem. The two dignitaries discussed the political and economic situation in Tunisia as well as other regional topics such as the Libyan crisis, migration issues, and the fight against terrorism.

Tonight, during the opening of the Forum, Undersecretary Amendola will participate in a working dinner at the residence of the Swedish Ambassador, focusing on the condition of Europe as it faces the Libyan crisis. The dinner will also be attended by Martin Kobler, the United Nations Special Envoy for Libya.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Italy.