“Supporting Africa also means preventing China’s political and Russian military offensive”
“The dramatic photos taken at the Sfax morgue say one thing clearly: Tunisia needs help. And a pragmatic approach is also needed on the part of the Monetary Fund, not ideological, to the economic emergency. That country cannot collapse.” This was stated in an interview with La Repubblica by the departing Foreign Minister, Antonio Tajani to Washington, where he will meet Secretary of State Antony Blinken and IMF director Kristalina Georgieva with whom he will speak of the need to reach an agreement as soon as possible for “gradual” economic support to the Tunisian state: “Only with the stabilization of the countries of departure of the migrants will we be able to solve the problem” said the minister.
“They are horrible photos, which denounce the gravity of the migration problem” added the minister. “Respect for the rights, in this case that of the dead and their families, inevitably passes through the improvement of conditions in the countries of departure. Unfortunately, in a state that does not have adequate hospital and reception facilities, the stronger the exodus, the greater the risk of deaths at sea and of witnessing these inhumane scenes. The economic crisis in Tunisia must be tackled immediately”.
With Blinken will you also address the issue of a greater US commitment to Libya? “We would like the USA to participate in an action in the entire Mediterranean area, with the presence of NATO but also with investments that we can all decide together” responded Tajani according to which “favoring the growth of the African continent also means avoiding, in those countries, thepolitical offensive of China or the military one of the Russians, through Wagner”.
“We need to stimulate, as we are doing, agreements on energy that lead to development. It is the Mattei plan mentioned by Prime Minister Meloni, which will also have to be framed in an international “Marshall Plan”.. We don’t want to be colonizers, but partners of these countries» he continued. Regarding the Ukrainian crisis, Tajani explained that the visit to Washington “will be an opportunity to reaffirm the bonds of transatlantic solidarity with the United States. And a common vision on the Ukrainian crisis. We hope that this offensive will be a step towards a just peace .Without the security of Kiev there is no peace, there is defeat».
The European elections are a year away: how concretely feasible is an EPP-conservative alliance that could change the current majority in the Strasbourg hemicycle? “I believe in bipolarism also at the European level – replied the minister and deputy prime minister -. Ever since 2017, when my election as President of the European Parliament was supported by Populars, Conservatives and Liberals. You can repeat that political model, then it depends on the numbers”.
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