Doha, Qatar: A top Italian official visiting Doha has lauded Qatar’s intense diplomatic efforts that contributed to a much-needed agreement to cease fire and release hostages and prisoners in the Gaza Strip.
Undersecretary of State for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation in the government of Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, H E Maria Tripodi, sat for an exclusive interview with The Peninsula during her visit to Doha this week. The focus of her visit was to deepen the already “solid” Qatar-Italy ties in trade, art and culture.
“Italy’s ties with Qatar are excellent, based on an old friendship and on relations that always grow thanks to reciprocal factors of common interest,” she said. “For the future, I see very good prospects of development. We have many projects, especially projects of cultural diplomacy together with Qatar. So I am very confident that our partnership can become a model partnership also for other countries.”
Tripodi, who also attended an Italian Design Day event in Doha where VCUarts students and professors presented their design projects developed in collaboration with the Italian embassy in Doha, also highlighted the growing culture and tourism ties. She said the recent visit by Italy’s historic navy ship Amerigo Vespucci to Doha, which provided thousands of people a chance to have a glimpse of Italy on board the ship, was designed to underscore the “speciality of our relations”.
Qatar recently also announced to build a national pavilion in the historic Venice venue of Giardini della Biennale, joining 30 other nations with permanent pavilions in the Giardini.
Asked about Qatar-Italy trade relations, she highlighted that Italy was Qatar’s major trading partner in Europe as well as globally. “We are very satisfied with our trade relationship with Qatar. We are working to make it grow further. We have promised to work even more closely and in close contact. And I would like to underline on this occasion that Italy is the first commercial partner of Qatar among the countries of the European Union. Our trade relationship is also very strong and is consolidated in many sectors. I am very proud of remarking that Italy is the first European trade partner of Qatar.”
In Doha, Tripodi held separate meetings with MoFA Secretary-General H E Dr. Ahmed bin Hassan Al Hammadi as well as Minister of State for Foreign Trade Affairs H E Ahmed bin Mohammed Al Sayed. She said a business forum involving Qatari and Italian companies could take place in the very near future.
The undersecretary also highlighted close collaboration with Qatar for peace and stability in the region. “We are collaborating very well. Qatar certainly has a very important role in terms of pacifying and achieving peace in the region, as far as the situation in Gaza is concerned. And I can tell you that Italy is absolutely at the forefront of this, especially for humanitarian support to the Palestinian civilian population.
“Italy proposes itself as a reliable partner for regional actors and as a country of dialogue, a builder of peace. Italy and Qatar are coordinating their responses and their action on the most pressing crisis of the region. Especially Italy recognises Qatar’s efforts for the mediation in Gaza and the achievement of the ceasefire agreed in January.”
Tripodi highlighted Italy’s humanitarian work in the Gaza Strip through initiatives such “Food for Gaza” and more recently the initiative to provide medical treatment to Palestinian children from Gaza in Italy. “On the humanitarian side, we are working together to provide relief to the affected population, especially in the Gaza Strip. Italy, in particular, is doing this through the initiative Food for Gaza. It was launched immediately after October 7, 2023, to bring food to the civilians.
“In addition to our humanitarian effort, Italy is also involved through its security efforts, primarily in Lebanon through the UNIFIL mission where Italy plays a central role and is one of the main contributors, but also in Gaza thanks to the reactivation of the mission EUBAM Rafah (European Union’s civilian Border Assistance Mission for the Rafah Crossing Point) where a contingent of our Carabinieri is involved and this is a sign of our commitment to the Gaza Strip also in the security field.”
The undersecretary termed her visit to Doha fruitful. “It was a very fruitful mission focused on the diplomacy of growth and on the development of our trade relations.”
Talking about the Italian Design Day, Tripodi said professionals and designers from both Italy and Qatar play an essential part in developing the bilateral relations including cultural partnership.
