Summary:

On 18 January 2023, the Italian Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Antonio Tajani, and the Minister of the Interior, Matteo Piantedosi visited Tunis to discuss security, irregular migration, and economic cooperation with their Tunisian counterparts as well as President Kais Saied.

The visit was part of series of diplomatic visits across the region including Turkey and Egypt and comes following a call between Tunisian Foreign Minister Othman Jerandi and Tajani on 10 January, during which they discussed a similar set of issues. The focus of the meetings was irregular migration, with this primary topic driving discussions across other areas, including security cooperation and investment. The ministers expressed an interest in increasing the number of Italian entrepreneurs in Tunisia and highlighted an ongoing interest in Italian investment in the country.

Outlook:  

With irregular migration data from 2022 highlighting the scale of the challenge, Italy is likely looking to push more aggressively toward solutions with regional partners, including Tunisia. With Italy now trailing only France in investment in Tunisia, the relationship between the two countries is likely to continue to grow.

Explore our services or speak with our team of North Africa-based risk experts.