Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has asked Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan for assistance in curbing the influx of migrants traveling through Libya to Europe, BBC’s Turkish service (BBC Türkçe) reported, citing Italian media..
Despite the lack of a formal press conference or official statements after a meeting in İstanbul on Saturday, sources close to the Italian prime ministry told journalists that increased cooperation on migration was a key topic during the visit.
Il Giornale, an Italian newspaper that leans toward the country’s right-wing coalition government, stated that an agreement was reached between the leaders to prevent smugglers from leaving Libya, where “Sultan Erdogan wields great influence.”
Details suggest that migrants arriving in Italy mainly originate from Tripolitania, a region in Libya where on-the-ground cooperation with Turkey could prove effective.
The origins of this agreement can be traced back to a meeting between Meloni and Erdoğan in New York in September during the United Nations General Assembly. This was followed by meetings between the foreign ministers of Italy and Turkey, and a subsequent visit to Turkey by Italian Secretary General for Foreign Affairs Riccardo Guariglia.
In October, the Turkish Foreign Ministry indicated discussions on potential Middle East and Africa cooperation during Guariglia’s visit. However, as Il Giornale’s report is cited by BBC Türkçe, the two foreign ministries have yet to finalize a written agreement.
Former Interior Minister Marco Minniti, known for a similar deal with Turkey during his time in office from 2016 to 2018, criticized the move in an interview with La Stampa, BBC reported. He labeled seeking Erdoğan’s assistance for managing migration from Libya a “dramatically wrong decision,” citing potential violations of Libya’s sovereignty and implications for UN-led diplomatic efforts in Libya.
This development comes just a week before the “Italy-Africa conference” in Rome on January 29. The conference aims to strengthen ties between Europe and Africa, featuring heads of state, government officials and representatives from the European Union, the African Union and international organizations. The Italian government plans to introduce the “Mattei Plan” at the summit, aiming to foster growth and equal partnership with African nations.
The Mattei Plan, named after Enrico Mattei, founder of state-controlled energy group Eni, is expected to lay the groundwork for cooperation beyond energy.
Italy took over the presidency of the Group of Seven (G7) nations in 2024 and pledged to make Africa a central theme while it is at the helm.