Italy and Saudi Arabia in talks for major deals as ties grow under Meloni
The government of Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, which came into power in October 2022, has been working to deepen ties with energy- and cash-rich states in the Middle East and North Africa.
Italy is discussing joint investments with Saudi Arabia across a plethora of sectors including automotive, defense, hydrogen, mining, oil and gas, and space, Industry Minister Adolfo Urso announced Monday.
Urso made his comments on a visit to the Gulf that ends on Tuesday. He is meeting officials and business leaders in Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.
"Italy and Saudi Arabia are committed to developing a regulatory and industrial framework that favors and accelerates strategic autonomy in the critical raw materials sector," Urso said in a statement after a meeting in Riyadh with Khalid bin Muhammad Al-Salem, president of the Royal Commission for Jubail and Yanbu, which helps develop the desert kingdom’s energy industry.
"We explored the possibility of partnerships and joint investments especially in the mining sector, both in our respective countries and in third areas such as the African continent,” Urso added.
