Tunisian President Heads to Italy

On Saturday, Tunisian President Qais Saied traveled to Italy to participate in the International Conference on Development and Migration, organized upon the invitation of Italian Prime Minister Georgia Meloni.

The conference is scheduled to take place in Rome on Sunday, July 23, 2023.

A statement from the Tunisian Presidency confirmed that the visit was in response to Georgia Meloni's invitation to President Saied to attend the conference.

The meeting in Rome will bring together several Mediterranean and Middle Eastern countries to strengthen efforts against irregular migration. Italy aims to assist African nations in reducing the drivers of migration to Europe.

In a statement released on Friday, the Italian government outlined the focus of the conference on building partnerships to initiate projects in sectors such as agriculture, infrastructure, and healthcare, as reported by Reuters.

"The conference aims to address migration, combat human trafficking, and enhance economic development through a new model of collaboration among nations," the statement said.

Italian officials, speaking to Reuters, revealed that the countries scheduled to participate in the conference include Tunisia, Turkey, Libya, Algeria, and the United Arab Emirates, along with representatives from the European Union and the International Monetary Fund.