Meloni’s lightning mission in Algeria: "We will strengthen energy flows"

Lightning mission by Giorgia Meloni in Algeria. Against the backdrop of a hectic day for government and politics in the Roman palaces, thePrime Ministerflies to Algiers to try to protect Italy from the unpredictable consequences of aconflictwhich, from the Persian Gulf, is destabilizing the wholeMiddle Eastern region.

The echo of the possible resignation of the Minister of Tourism Daniela Santanché, hoped for primarily by the Prime Minister and finally obtained, also resonates in Algiers, despite the urgency of thedossierto be discussed at the tablePresident of the Republic Abdelmadjid Tebboune. And it reverberates on a sunny day, with an almost summery climate, which nevertheless turns out to be soprofitablefor the renewed impetus ofbilateral reports“already at highest level“, recalls the Prime Minister. And for the increasingly strong relationship betweenEni e Sonatrachthe Algerian giant ofoil and gaswhich, “in perspective, will also allow us to strengthen theflow of gas supply from Algeria to Italy“, announces the prime minister.

Meloni’s lightning mission

For Meloni it is onelightning mission– the second official in thisNorth African country– but full of commitments, so much so as to exclude the possibility of meeting the press at the end of the day. After the almost two hour face to face with Tebboune and thejoint statementsof the two leaders, followed by a working breakfast extended to the delegations, at the end of which the Prime Minister rushed to the airport.

Meloni: “Algeria has absolute strategic importance”

Before leaving ‘El Mouradia’, a palace with typical Arab-Andalusian architecture which is also the official seat of the presidency of the Algerian republic, Meloni nevertheless reiterates the “absolute strategic importance” of this country and confirms that he was able to discuss all the crucial points of the issues with the other partyinternational dossiers e della bilateral cooperation.

Focus on energy supplies

With particular attention to the theme ofenergy suppliesincreasingly vital in light of the bottleneck of theStrait of Hormuzwhich is disrupting about 20% of theglobal flow of oil and gas. Also for this reason – Meloni announced – “we will work, even on new fronts such asshale gasandoffshore exploration.

Meloni: “The relationship between Italy and Algeria is an absolute certainty”

“When theinstabilityis increasing and certainties are decreasing, theItaly-Algeria relationship resta una extraordinary certainty” underlines Meloni speaking of the Rome-Algiers relationship as “one of the extraordinary certainties” founded on “aancient and deep friendship” because – recalls the Prime Minister – “Italy and Algeria have lent each other a hand many times and each has been there for the other, always, in times of need”.

In recent years, continues the prime minister, “with thepresident Tebbounewe worked to make this friendship even stronger and today I think I can say today that therelationship between our nationsit has never been like thissolid and so profitable” so much so that it can “become more and more amodel to follow“.

“Increasingly extensive cooperation”

The project for the creation of the first one moves along this lineItaly-Algeria Chamber of Commercewhich – indicated Meloni – will be one “stable instrumentto free thepotentialwhich is still unexpressed in our relations”. And, he announced, the work towards “anew intergovernmental summitwhich, at this point, we would like to organize as quickly as possible.”

Energy security

The two countries will also continue to explore – he assured – oneever deeper and more extensive cooperationin other sectors ranging from “the development ofrenewable energyto the achievements ofstrategic infrastructureswhich are increasingly capable of uniting the two sides of theMediterraneanalso obviously increasing – underlined Meloni – theenergy security”.

And who, he explained, will join theTransmedil pipelinewhich has been connecting since the 1980sItaly and Algeria. In short, in these sectors, Rome and Algiers will make further progress: with Transmed – recalls the Premier – “we have beenpioneersand the idea is that it can still be so”.

Meloni: “Algeria is a reliable partner”

L’Algeriait is and remains, in short, a “reliable partner“for theItalia e per l’Europa. Which ensured the sameAlgerian presidentconfirming that you have dealt with theItalian Prime Ministerwith the knot ofwar in Ukraine e del conflict in the Persian Gulfalso the theme of collaboration “in the fight againsthuman trafficking e per la security in the Mediterranean” and for thestabilization of the Middle East.

The war in Iran

Regarding thecrisis between Iran and the USA“I clearly believe that the hypothesis of an ongoing conversation” between these two countries “would constitute excellent news”, reiterated Meloni, confirming that “theItaliaintends to support, also thanks to the solid network of relations it has with the Gulf nations, every initiative it can bring backstability in the area“.

During the conversation, the prime minister reports, “we obviously also talked aboutcrisis in the Middle Easta crisis that involves everyone and which – he warns – could cause if it were to continue over timeeconomic and social consequenceswhich would end up hitting the most vulnerable nations more than other nations, starting with its ownAfrican continent“.

The hope shared by the two leaders is therefore that of onede-escalation“rapid and immediate” while on the front ofwar in Ukraine– insisted the prime minister – “as far as we are concerned, we continue to repeat our maximum commitment to arrive at onejust and lasting peacethat quickly returns a future ofprosperity‘”.

The dossier on migration policies

Meloni was keen to thank his interlocutor for his fruitful collaboration in the control of themigrations: “if in recent years we have managed to reduce the number of illegal immigrants and deaths at sea in the Mediterranean, we also owe this – he acknowledged – to avery solid cooperation with Algeria”.

The crucial piece of the Mattei Plan

La Meloni mission in Algeriaa crucial piece of theMattei Plan for Africa con un’dynamic economyand increasingly integrated with the Italian one, underpins the foundations of onemutual and shared developmentbetween the two countries who, once again, reach out to each other in times of need. Starting fromenergystates Meloni, “understood asopportunityboth for those who produce it and for those – he concludes – who consume it.