Meloni in Abu Dhabi to relaunch relations with the Emirates. Between arms, trade and energy

Archived the Indian stage, Giorgia Meloni flies to Abu Dhabi for the second step of his diplomatic mission. The goal is to reconnect and revive relations with the United Arab Emirates, marked – and deteriorated – by the Alitalia affair and in particular by the issue of arms exports, blocked by the Conte II government. The premier, accompanied by Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani, arrived this morning and will remain in the Persian Gulf for two days.

She was welcomed by Ambassador Lorenzo Fanara and Sultan Al Jaber, the minister of local industry as well as designated president of Cop28, which will be held in the United Arab Emirates. A meeting with the president of the United Arab Emirates, the sheikh, is scheduled for tomorrow Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan.

According to what transpires from Palazzo Chigi, the two leaders will discuss trade and energy agreements (oil exchanges), but also of agreements related to the environment and the climate, a closer collaboration in view of the international climate conference at the end of the year. Italy historically represents a thriving commercial partner of Abu Dhabi, the first in the European Union. While there are hundreds of Italian companies in the country.

Dynamics to safeguard, relaunch, expand. But which also fit into a broader issue, which has been dragging on for a few years, since the time of the red-yellow government. That is, when Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte had stopped the use of Italian weapons in the war in Yemen for Saudi Arabia and Yemen. Trade agreements had also been revoked at the time. Most of these measures have been withdrawn, but not the emabrgo on bombs and missiles. And it is probable that, net of the official notes, the topic will be central to the discussions between Rome and Abu Dhabi. A match that also intersects the theme of stability in the entire area.

On the other hand, the premier’s trip comes after a series of diplomatic initiatives between the two countries. In particular, last month’s visit by the Italian defense minister. In early February Guido Crosetto he had met his counterpart, Mohammed bin Ahmed Al Bowardi for “a cordial conversation that marks a new course in relations between Italy and the United Arab Emirates”, read the ministry’s note. On that occasion, cooperation in the fields of defense and security and the regional situation had been discussed. In particular, Crosetto and Al Bowardi “confirmed their willingness to strengthen cooperation”. Meloni’s presence could mark a qualitative leap in this sense.

Then, finally, there is Alitalia and that story that has been dragging on since 2014, when Etihad Airways bought 49 percent of the Italian carrier. A relationship from which, in 2016, the Emirates company will withdraw. This will be followed by the commissioning of Alitalia and then a bankruptcy trial involving 21 people, the members of the board of directors and the managers of the company, the top figures in the negotiation for the rescue of Alitalia. The work of the judiciary, it is clear, greatly restricts the prime minister’s room for manoeuvre. But relations between Italy and the United Arab Emirates also pass through here.