Minister Tajani in Libya for the Launch of the Development Project at the Port of Misurata

The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Antonio Tajani, is on a mission today to Misurata (Libya), on behalf of the President of the Council of Ministers, to attend the laying of the foundation stone of the container terminal of the Misurata Free Zone, together with the Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Qatar, Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani.
The companies involved in the port expansion project and the management of the container terminals are linked to Italy and Qatar: MSC and Al Maha Qatari Company.

According to some estimates, investments for the development of the port of the Misurata Free Zone, in north-western Libya, could reach USD 2.7 billion over three years, making it one of the most important port infrastructure expansion projects in North Africa.

In Misurata, Minister Tajani is also scheduled to hold a bilateral meeting with Libyan Prime Minister Abdulhameed Mohamed Dabaiba to discuss economic relations between Italy and Libya, the opportunities offered by the Free Zone, migration and the fight against human trafficking. The national reconciliation process and support for UN efforts aimed at stability and unity in the country will also be addressed.
Economic and trade relations between Italy and Libya are growing, driven by the energy sector. In 2024, bilateral trade reached €9.5 billion (+3.7%), with Italian exports increasing by over 36%. In 2025, Italy was Libya's leading customer, with a 22.4% market share, and its third-largest supplier, with a 10.1% share.

Italy mainly exports refined petroleum products, ships and boats to Libya, while Italian imports from Libya are concentrated on crude oil (91.6%) and natural gas (5.4%), highlighting the central role of the energy sector in bilateral trade.