Libyan Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibah to pay working visit to Italy
Libyan Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibah is scheduled to visit Italy today.
Italian Foreign Minister Luigi Di Maio was the first member of an EU government to visit Tripoli after Libya’s provisional Government of National Unity was formed in March. The new government has been approved by the House of Representatives in Sirte and is tasked with readying the country for national elections on December 24 of this year.
The two countries have several significant ties—most notably, Eni, Italy’s energy conglomerate, has strong interests in Libya. Numerous international observers speculate that Italy will assume a prominent position in rebuilding Libyan infrastructure. The Libyan government commissioned the renovation of Tripoli’s airport from Italian construction firm Aeneas three years ago, and Italian firms may contribute to the development of a road connecting Tunisia and Egypt through Libya. Further, Italy may serve as an intermediary in Libya, and it could finally become a force for the restoration of Libyan stability. Italian contributions to Libya’s infrastructure could support recovery, decrease inequality and drive economic growth by providing access to services and connecting people to economic opportunities.
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