The current Italian PM, while visiting Libya, discussed with Libyan officials about natural gas supplies and migration as a concern. These concerns are the primary focal point for the Italian government and the European Unions.
Italian PM Seeks Commitment for Natural Gas Supplies
Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni went to the African country as the third stop on tour during the last two weeks. The ongoing Ukraine conflict driven by the US proxy has prompted her to visit the country to replace Russian natural gas, Republic World reported.
Another African state previously that PM Meloni visited is Tunisia, and earlier in the week was Algeria, which is the primary energy supplier of Italy, with several agreements signed by her.
Meloni arrived at the Mitiga airport, the only airport operational in Tripoli, the capital city, with Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani and Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi, as part of her entourage, according to AP News.
On Meloni's arrival, she was received by Najla Mangoush, the foreign minister of the Tripoli-based government. Flowers were given to her as a token upon arrival, shaking hands with a child. Meeting with Abdel Hamid Dbeibah, the chief of a rival administration in Libya, she got the chance to discuss with Libya's ceremonial presidential council, Mohamed Younis Menfi.
Italy's Visit to Libya Is of Great Importance
The state visit is expected that Eni will sign a USD 8 billion deal to build offshore gas fields in Libya, per France 24.
An output of 850 million cubic feet per day is expected to be pumped from it, says Farhat Bengdara, head of Libya's National Oil Corporation, informed the public via television earlier in the week.
The energy firm did not deny or confirm the report. Also, the firm is in a risky deal to operate in the territory to produce gas for mainly domestic production. Tripoli delivered approximately 2.63 billion cubic meters via the Greenstream pipeline a year ago. Before the unrest in the country, the output was lower than 8 billion cubic meters.
Most of the Libyan gas deliveries were compounded by instability, domestic demand, and insufficient investment in this field sorely needed, said Matteo Villa of the ISPI think tank. He added new deals are a measure of national image.
The Ukraine conflict caused Italy to drop its dependence on Russian gas, but it caused a deficiency of 11 billion cubic meters after it decided to sanction Moscow.
Meloni has been the PM for three months and the top European official to visit the oil-rich African nation that did not hold elections on December 2021. It prompted the east-based parliament of the country to set up another government when Dbeibah did not step down.
Its administration is done by rival governments that lie on the eastern side and Tripoli on the western side. After 2011, a NATO back rebellion led to the toppling and killing of their leader Moammar Gadhafi. This presence of Piantedosi in the entourage shows migration as one of the talking points. He was pushing for the denial of Libyan refugees in Italian territory.
Italy's PM is visiting Libya to fix the Italian energy crunch as natural gas supplies from Russia becomes scarce, with migration as another.
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