Italy-Libya cooperation: in Rome, the spotlight is on the Misurata Free Zone and new opportunities for Italian businesses

The institutional event "Misurata Free Zone - Africa's Gateway for Italian Companies" took place in Rome on 9 July at the Unioncamere headquarters. This initiative brought together the Italian business community and leading Libyan officials to present the commercial opportunities offered by Libya's main special economic zone.

The meeting was organised by the Italian-Libyan Chamber of Commerce in collaboration with Confindustria Assafrica & Mediterraneo and received support from the Embassy of Italy in Tripoli, Unioncamere and International Propeller Club - Port of Rome.

The proceedings were opened by the Italian Ambassador to Libya, Gianluca Alberini, and the Chair of the "Amici della Libia" (Friends of Libya) Parliamentary Intergroup, Senator Marco Scurria, alongside senior representatives of the organising associations and the Libyan Free Zone.

Tax incentives, priority areas for collaboration and a focus on infrastructure development, with an in-depth look at the recent strategic agreement between Free Zone and MSC, were the topics discussed in detail during the meeting.

The event was attended by over 140 representatives of Italian companies and delegates from leading economic and financial institutions, including SACE, ITA, Intesa Sanpaolo, ABC Bank, Banca UBAE, Assarmatori and Federazione del Mare.

The day saw three significant concrete steps towards strengthening bilateral relations: the "Memorandum of Understanding between the Italian-Libyan Chamber of Commerce and the Misurata Free Zone", aimed at developing joint assistance activities, business missions and business matching; the "Memorandum of Understanding between Confindustria Assafrica & Mediterraneo and the Misurata Free Zone", designed to enhance cooperation between the Italian and Libyan manufacturing sectors; and the establishment of a Permanent Representation to support Italian businesses within the Misurata Free Zone, coordinated by the Italian-Libyan Chamber of Commerce, to provide on-site guidance and operational support.

In the afternoon, the session concluded with a series of B2B meetings between the Libyan technical delegation and Italian companies, marking the start of the first in-depth discussions on future industrial and commercial partnerships.

The high turnout at the event confirms the Italian manufacturing sector's strategic interest in the Libyan market. The agreements signed and the new permanent representation set out a concrete path towards internationalisation, consolidating a strong economic and industrial alliance in the Mediterranean.