Italy's PM Meloni heads for Saudi Arabia, Bahrain

AFP , Saturday 25 Jan 2025

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni embarked Saturday on a three-day trip to Saudi Arabia and Bahrain to discuss the situation in Syria and Lebanon and other international issues, a government source said.

Meloni
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. AP

 

Meloni arrived in Jeddah to greet the crew of an Italian ship and will head on to Al-Ula, an archaeological Unesco heritage site where she will meet Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

Their talks will focus on Syria, Lebanon, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Yemen and the Red Sea, Iran and Ukraine, the Italian source indicated.

The two leaders will sign a joint declaration for the launch of a strategic partnership between the two countries.

Agreements are also slated for defence, sustainable mobility, energy cooperation and sport as well as the protection of cultural and archaeological heritage.

Meloni's trip comes days after a visit by Italy's environment and energy minister Gilberto Pichetto to Riyadh where he signed an accord aimed at strengthening the energy transition and security cooperation.

Meloni heads on to Bahrain on Monday, the first visit by an Italian head of government to the country, where she will meet King Hamad bin Issa Al Khalifa, to discuss bilateral cooperation as well as how to tackle illegal immigration, the Italian source said.

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