Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan co-chaired the 4th Italy-Türkiye Intergovernmental Summit today in Rome, marking a new milestone in the growing partnership between the two Mediterranean powers.

Senior ministers from both governments participated in the summit, covering foreign affairs, defence, economy, energy, culture, and youth affairs. Following comprehensive discussions, Italy and Türkiye issued a joint declaration reaffirming their commitment to closer cooperation across a wide range of fields.

Strengthening Political and Strategic Ties

As NATO allies and G20 partners, Italy and Türkiye pledged to intensify political coordination and consultations on regional and global issues. With challenges such as the Ukraine conflict, tensions in Gaza, irregular migration, and climate change looming large, both sides underscored the urgency of effective collaboration.

The leaders agreed to hold Intergovernmental Summits regularly, with the next summit set to take place in Türkiye.

Türkiye-EU Relations and Migration Cooperation

Highlighting Türkiye’s crucial role in European stability and prosperity, the two countries reiterated their support for revitalizing Türkiye-EU relations, especially focusing on visa liberalization, renewed migration cooperation, and modernizing the Türkiye-EU Customs Union.

On migration, the sides emphasized the need for international cooperation to combat irregular migration, migrant smuggling, and human trafficking, while addressing the root causes of migration and promoting regular migration pathways.

Economic Expansion and New Trade Targets

Celebrating the bilateral trade volume surpassing $30 billion in 2024, Italy and Türkiye set a new mid-term target of $40 billion. They committed to organizing the third Joint Economic and Trade Commission (JETCO) meeting in Türkiye by late 2025 and boosting direct investments, technology transfer, and industrial cooperation.

New areas for cooperation include digital technologies, artificial intelligence, and cybersecurity.

Enhanced Defence and Security Cooperation

The summit reaffirmed the two nations’ strong defence ties, built through successful joint projects in recent years. Italy and Türkiye vowed to deepen collaboration in defence industries, cyber security, counter-terrorism, and organized crime prevention.

They agreed to host the 14th Defence Industry Cooperation Meeting in 2025 and to promote high-level visits and technical exchanges to further elevate bilateral defence relations.

In security cooperation, both countries committed to strengthening judicial collaboration on extradition, counter-terrorism, and the fight against transnational organized crime.

Energy, Environment, and Transportation

Italy and Türkiye highlighted the Southern Gas Corridor’s strategic role in ensuring Europe’s energy security. They agreed to enhance collaboration on renewable energy, hydrogen, and energy efficiency, while also working together on critical mineral supply chains crucial for clean energy transitions.

The two sides also pledged to deepen cooperation in maritime, road, and civil aviation transport sectors to support growing economic ties and ensure the stability of global supply chains.

Culture, Science, Youth, and Sports Cooperation

The countries renewed their commitment to cultural and scientific exchange, encouraging the movement of artworks, promoting intangible cultural heritage, and supporting youth and sports initiatives, including for persons with disabilities.

Several new agreements were signed to promote cooperation in these areas, ranging from social services to archival studies and archaeological heritage preservation.

Regional and International Cooperation

Both countries emphasized the importance of promoting peace and stability in the Eastern Mediterranean, Ukraine, Libya, Syria, and the broader Middle East.

They jointly called for an immediate and permanent ceasefire in Gaza and voiced support for a two-state solution for the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, aligned with UN Security Council Resolutions.

On Ukraine, Italy and Türkiye reiterated their support for Ukraine’s sovereignty and expressed commitment to its reconstruction, preparing for the upcoming Ukraine Reconstruction Conference in Rome this July.

On Syria, both countries underlined the importance of an inclusive political process and the voluntary, safe return of displaced Syrians, calling for greater international engagement.

Agreements and Memorandums Signed

The summit concluded with the signing of several important agreements, including:

­-A Joint Statement on Enhancing Bilateral Trade Relations;

-MoUs on Science, Technology, Innovation, and Industry Cooperation;

-MoUs on Space Cooperation, Cultural Heritage Protection, and Youth and Sports Cooperation;

-Agreements on Transport Corridors, Social Services, and Defence Industry Collaboration;

-A Head of Terms Agreement between Italy’s Leonardo and Türkiye’s Baykar Technologies.

The 4th Italy-Türkiye Intergovernmental Summit marked a significant step in reinforcing a strategic partnership between two key Mediterranean nations. With new targets set and broad agreements in place, Rome and Ankara appear poised for deeper cooperation in an increasingly complex and interconnected world. (ILKHA)