The President of the Council of Ministers, Giorgia Meloni, met today with the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Keir Starmer, at Villa Doria Pamphilj in Rome.
Following the meeting, a Joint Declaration was adopted confirming the ambition of both Heads of Government to continue strengthening and deepening the strategic partnership between their two nations in all areas of common interest.
Italy and the United Kingdom are connected by exceptional relations and continuous dialogue on foreign policy, defence and security, starting with the Global Compact Air Programme (GCAP), the strategic importance of which was reaffirmed by the two leaders.
During the meeting, particular attention was paid to countering irregular migration. The two leaders intend to boost cooperation in the fight against human trafficking and smuggling, focusing particularly on the judicial dimension, as well as in their partnership with countries of origin and of transit, building on the collaboration launched as part of the Rome Process, with particular regard to assisted voluntary returns. They acknowledged that strengthening coordination with international partners, also through Interpol and Europol where possible, is key in order to maximise efforts.
President Meloni and Prime Minister Starmer also discussed the depth of bilateral economic, cultural and scientific relations, and of bilateral ties in the areas of innovation and youth exchanges, as well as their intention to do more in all sectors, expressing particular satisfaction with the new investment decisions announced today in the margins of the visit.
Lastly, the meeting provided an opportunity for an update on the main issues on the international agenda, in particular the conflict in Ukraine and the situation in the Middle East.