"With full respect for Tunisian sovereignty, I told President Saied about the efforts that a friendly country like Italy is making to reach a successful conclusion of the agreement between Tunisia and the IMF, which remains fundamental for a strengthening and full recovery of the country". So said Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, who on an official visit to Tunisia yesterday met at the Presidential Palace in Carthage with President Kais Saied and at the Kasbah with Prime Minister Najla Boude. "This is a support both G7 and EU level with a pragmatic approach," Meloni stressed, adding that "also at the EU level Italy has been a spokesperson for a concrete approach to increase support for Tunisia both in the fight against human trafficking and illegal immigration but also for an integrated support package, funding and important opportunities that Brussels is working on". "I am very grateful," the Prime Minister continued, "to the Commission for its work and, in order to accelerate the implementation of the EU package, I have given President Saied my readiness to return to Tunisia soon, also together with President Von Der Leyen. On the subject of combating illegal immigration, however, "there is the hypothesis, discussed with President Saied, of an international conference in Rome on the subject of migration and development, to try to bring together all the needs related to a very impressive phenomenon that needs to be tackled in full," Meloni said. "We envision it as an opportunity to bring together the nations of the southern shore of the Mediterranean of the Middle East, the countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council, to listen to the different needs and create projects on which to attract funding, involving both the public and private sectors". The goal is "to renew joint efforts to address the political, socio-economic, and climatic drivers of migration, to promote mobility pathways that are legal, and to effectively counter human trafficking and migrant smuggling".
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