ICE announces the reopening of the desk in Tripoli, the association: “at work to repeat the initiative in Tripoli and Benghazi, now we need to give substance to the words”. The mayors: "Italian and Tunisian companies, Libya is your home".
(by Vanessa Tomassini) The 1st Economic Forum for Libya of the Italian Libyan Business Development Association (ILBDA) ended yesterday in Tunis. The event brought together entrepreneurs, economic experts, representatives of financial institutions from Italy, Libya and Tunisia in Tunis, with the aim of strengthening commercial relations between the three countries, creating new connections between private sector actors in search of new horizons. . Speaking on behalf of the association, the president Sandro Fratini and the vice president Ashraf Tulty thanked all the participants, underlining that "as a young association, we would never have thought of reaching certain numbers in terms of companies and visitors". The event saw the contribution of 30 sponsors and endorsers, 28 exhibitors, 150 participating companies of which about 80 new members, 12 mayors in attendance and 15 Libyan municipalities joined the initiative.
During the final press conference, the organizers indicated that "the event was extremely positive for creating contacts and strengthening relations between our three countries", highlighting that during the two days the participants discussed important projects that will see the collaboration between public and private sector. “The next few hours and days will be crucial to give substance to the forum. There are partnerships that are being born thanks to ILBDA and this makes us very proud ”. Sandro Fratini, president of the association declared.
The Forum opened on Monday 7 June in the splendid setting of the Laico Hotel, in the Tunisian capital, with a plenary session and three dialogue panels: shared prosperity and commons strategies, opportunities, economic partnerships and foreign investments. Hon. Piero Fassino, president of the Foreign Affairs Commission of the Chamber of Deputies and Gennaro Migliore, president of the Mediterranean Assembly, connected live during the opening speeches, greeting a room that managed to unite not only all of Libya, but the two shores of the Mediterranean. The great global challenges of our century such as climate change and women's rights were also addressed, with Michelle Sabban, Honorary President of the R20 program, Regions of Climate Actions.
The 1st Economic Forum for Libya, presented and coordinated by the Italian journalist Vanessa Tomassini, was also an opportunity for the authorities to announce important events. Dr. Donatella Iaricci, director of the Italian ICE Agency in Tunis revealed that in the next few days an agency desk will reopen at the Italian embassy in Tripoli. As an association, Vice President Ashraf Tulty has already anticipated the next steps: repeating the economic forum in Libya, Tripoli and Benghazi, participating in the organization of two days dedicated to Italy at the Misurata International Fair in October; make an ILBDA representative office in Benghazi immediately operational. The organization announced that President Sandro Fratini has already made agreements with various mayors and local authorities of the three regions of Libya to organize business missions in the various Libyan cities starting from the next few weeks to follow up on the requests and needs expressed by the first citizens. Eight Libyan mayors, Ghadames, Ghat, Souq al-Jumaa, Tawergha, Tripoli, Zawiya and Zliten, participated in the dialogue panel dedicated to opportunities, personally presenting the real situation in their territories. The mayor of Ghat, Moussa Al-Senussi, has announced that Ghat is ready to host the international tourism festival this year, an initiative that promotes Tuareg culture if the Covid-19 pandemic allows it. “Until 2011, many Italian companies were present in Ghat, mainly active in the construction and construction of infrastructures. This is why we see Italians as part of our family ”. Al-Senussi said, indicating the need to collaborate with Italian companies and experts to preserve the artistic and cultural heritage of the Akakus mountains.
Al-Zawiya mayor Jamal al-Bahar stressed that his municipality is making enormous efforts to counter illegal and clandestine immigration, calling on the international community to help Libyans in a spirit of cohesion and not to fuel divisions . The mayor of Tripoli spoke of the progress made by the capital, in terms of security and provision of services, made possible thanks to the efforts of his community. Hisham Bin Yousif, Mayor of Souq al-Jumaa, pointed out different areas of collaboration between Libyan and foreign companies, in terms of training and development, such as fishing. In this regard, Tomassini also invited on stage the former mayor of Tripoli, Abdlraouf Beitelmal, to take stock of the "PATH-DEV - Pilot Action in Fishery Sector for Libya Economic Development" project, funded in 2019 by the Ministry of the Interior. Italian and implemented by the Autonomous Region of Friuli Venezia Giulia with the collaboration of Informest, and aimed at strengthening local economic development in the fisheries sector in Libya through the implementation of training activities in favor of local technical experts and private actors. A project that could be taken as a model for other sectors or extended to a wider territoriality.
"We were very happy that this forum also served to bring together Libyans and contribute to the dialogue in the national reconciliation process already undertaken, it was nice to have authorities and personalities from all over Libya and different social components on stage together, a confirmation that the war is over and that the Libyans are united and cohesive in achieving the goals they have set for themselves ”. The association stated in the closing statements of the event. "Making this Forum was not easy for many reasons, the coronavirus pandemic in the first place and the relatively short timeframe for its realization, also bringing together and coordinating 3 countries was a great challenge, which sets us the goal of improving and doing better in the events that await us ". Vice President Ashraf Tulty said. Banque Tuniso Libyen (BTL) was the main sponsor of the Forum, together with Seiph, Fiore, Banque Sahelo Saherienne (BSIC) Ansaldo Energia, Ariston Thermo Group, Colacem, El. Com, Biome Solar Industry, Caprari, Massucco T, Pemabat, T & T metals and compounds, Les Ciments Artificiel Tunisienne, Convivia, Delta Center, Sideralba, Artec, Stivel, La Romana Farine, Workman, Creode, Mosaique, Bot Energy, JDD Tunisie and Confimprese Italia.