From the Algerian gas pipeline to migrants, because Meloni is going to Tunisia today
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In recent weeks, the number of migrants arriving in Italy from Tunisia has dropped and following the invitation of President Kais Saied, Giorgia Meloni’s visit to Tunis was organized in 48 hours: these are two signs that generate optimism on the Italian front on the eve of the mission of the premier, a quick visit in the morning that has a twofold objective. On the one hand, release European aid (500 million euros) and at least some installments of the almost 2 billion dollars put on the table by the IMF; on the other, to extract from Saied a little flexibility on the reforms that the International Monetary Fund sets as a condition (the end of some subsidies on petrol and flour, the cut in spending for public employees, to limit the debt) and that the president Tunisian rejects as unacceptable diktats.
Fear for our energy infrastructure
The objective is to avoid the default of the North African country which would have very serious consequences for Italy and beyond. At stake, in addition to the “risk of exodus”, of which growing pressure has already been felt in recent months with the multiplication of landings, there it is also the fear for our energy infrastructures: Algerian gas, which has become Italy’s main supplier, in fact passes almost 400 kilometers through Tunisia before reaching the Mediterranean and arriving in Sicily, connecting to the national grid. Meloni is well aware of this. And it is no coincidence that he has repeatedly urged the intervention of Europe and the IMF.
The question of migratory flows
The visit was preceded by diplomatic work which for months has involved the premier herself and Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani. «Today Tunisia is in difficulty – explained the Prime Minister -. He is living in a very delicate situation because he risks a financial default and clearly if the Tunisian government goes down we will experience an absolutely worrying scenario. And it is on this scenario that we work». After last Friday’s phone call, Meloni will meet Saied and then Najla Bouden Ramadan (also the first female prime minister in her country): relations between Italy and Tunisia will be addressed (soon also linked by a 200 km submarine power line), but above all he will talk about international aid and the decidedly intertwined theme of migratory flows.
The trilateral agreement with von der Leyen and the Dutch premier Rutte
An issue on which the Tunisian president has proposed a high-level conference between the countries concerned, between North Africa, the Sahel, the Sahara and the Mediterranean. Since March, the Italian government has denounced Tunisia’s alarm with the fear of a humanitarian catastrophe, with 900,000 potential refugees. “The next EU Council”, at the end of June, “must act immediately”, Meloni hoped at the G7: in Japan he spoke about it with the French president Emmanuel Macron, with Kristalina Georgieva, director general of the IMF, and the president of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen. A few days later, at the summit of the European Political Community, he also had a trilateral agreement with von der Leyen herself and Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte, who has a line similar to Meloni’s on the migrant dossier, and did not rule out the possibility of a trip together to Africa. Thus was born this Italian mission (known to all EU chancelleries), a new African stage after Algeria and Libya.
The Mattei plan
A path also linked to the Mattei Plan, which will be presented in October. The management of the Tunisia dossier can become emblematic. The IMF continues to block the financing of about 2 billion dollars (approved in October) due to the scarce guarantees offered by Saied both in terms of reforms and respect for democratic rules.
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