TRIPOLI – Libya and Italy signed several agreements on Tuesday covering sectors such as development, investments and infrastructure, aimed at strengthening cooperation between the two Mediterranean states.

The agreements were signed by Prime Minister Abdulhamid Dbeibah and his Italian counterpart, Georgia Meloni, during the Italian-Libyan Business Forum, which is being held in the capital Tripoli after a decade of hiatus.

Libya is still struggling to recover from years of conflict following the 2011 NATO-backed uprising that toppled longtime dictator Muammar Gaddafi.

It remains divided between the government of Dbeibah, recognized by the UN, and a rival authority in the East supported by military strongman Khalifa Haftar.

Dbeibah said the agreements were “a new opportunity to support the national economy”, announcing the return of ITA Airways flights in December and the lifting of travel restrictions for Italian businessmen.

He also announced the resumption of the coastal highway megaproject, a route stretching some 1,800 kilometers from Libya’s borders with Tunisia in the west to Egypt in the east.

In a statement, Italy said it aimed to help Libya achieve economic sustainability.

He calls Meloni’s visit to the North African country – his fourth since taking office – “very important”.

The two sides also signed agreements aimed at promoting cooperation between small and medium-sized businesses and between Libyan and Italian banks to boost foreign investment, according to Italian officials.

Additional agreements covered health, trade and transportation, but specific contract details were not disclosed.

Italy remains Libya’s main trading partner, with trade between Rome and Tripoli exceeding 10 billion euros in 2022, according to official figures.

These agreements are part of Italy’s “Mattei Plan” for Africa, aimed in part at reducing irregular migration from Africa through investments on the continent.

The plan is named after Enrico Mattei, founder of Italian energy company Eni. In the 1950s, he advocated cooperation with African countries to develop their natural resources.

Migration is a key issue between the two countries, with Libya having become a key launching pad for migrants mainly from sub-Saharan African countries, and Italy often being their initial destination.

Meloni had said that the “non-predatory” cooperation program between Europe and Africa was initially valued at 5.5 billion euros, part of which in the form of loans, with investments focused on energy, l agriculture, water, health and education in African countries.

As part of this program, Rome also signed agreements with other African states, notably Tunisia and Algeria, neighbors of Libya.