sabato 10 ottobre 2026

The EU and economic security

https://www.ispionline.it/it/pubblicazione/sicurezza-economica-ue-contro-tutti-247796

Fashion, textiles, and leather goods and Italian cultural and economic diplomacy.

https://www.esteri.it/en/sala_stampa/archivionotizie/diplomazia-culturale/2025/07/prima-edizione-delle-giornate-della-moda-italiana-nel-mondo/

 https://confartigianato.veneto.it/comunicazioni/federazione.html#!/articolo/2455-tavolo-moda-per-linternazionalizzazione-firmato-un-protocollo-dintesa-fra-confartigianato-e-la-farnesina-per-la-promozione-del-sistema-moda-sui-mercati-internazionali

Italian fashion functions as a key instrument of cultural and economic soft power—often described as "growth diplomacy" (diplomazia della crescita) by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation. Italy is a global leader in fashion exports, ranking 1st in Europe and 2nd globally only to China in the Textiles, Fashion, and Accessories (TMA) sector.

Key Export Facts

  • Global Standing: Italy follows only China as the second-largest exporter of textiles, fashion, and accessories worldwide.
  • Economic Impact: The fashion and textile industry accounts for roughly 5% to 5.1% of Italy's national GDP and generates tens of billions of euros in foreign sales annually.
  • Export Propensity: About 75% of the sector's turnover is generated through exports, with more than half directed to non-European Union markets like the United States, China, and the Middle East.
  • Top Export Partners: Main destinations for Italian textile and apparel goods include France, Germany, the United States, China, and Spain.

In 2025, Italy's fashion, textiles, and leather goods export earnings reached an estimated €62.5 billion (representing roughly 9.9% of the country's total export value).

Key Performance Details for 2025

Overall Trend: According to industry data from Confindustria Moda and trade reports, Italian fashion and textile exports experienced an average year-over-year decline of 1.6% to 2% in 2025, impacted by weak global demand and low-cost Asian competition. 

    • Fashion, Textiles & Leather Goods: Estimated at €62.5 billion.
    • Italian Menswear Exports: Totaled €9.4 billion (down 1.7% compared to 2024), with EU sales rising (+3%) while non-EU markets dropped (-5.7%).
    • HS 61 Apparel Products: Exported around $11.57 billion.
    • Textile Machinery Exports: Reached €1.675 billion (down 8% year-over-year).
Geographic Performance:
    • Strong/Stable Markets: Sales held up well within the European Union (such as France and Poland).
    • Struggling Markets: Asian markets faced significant pullbacks, with Chinese demand for Italian fashion/textiles dropping sharply (down roughly 12% to 13.1%)

Current Trends & Challenges

  • Market Pressures: Recent data from the Banca d'Italia and industry reports show that Italian fashion exports have faced headwinds and declining volumes due to sluggish global demand, geopolitical tensions, and rising international competition.
  • Luxury vs. Fast Fashion: High-end luxury and leather goods exporters have experienced sharper contractions than more diversified or fast-fashion segments.

·         Key Drivers and Pressures: The downturn was heavily weighed down by weak demand and sluggish performance in Asian markets—particularly China, where fashion imports/exports dropped sharply—as well as rising competition from low-cost international producers.

·         Broader Context: While Italy's overall national goods exports grew by about 3.3% to over €628–643 billion in 2025 (led by machinery and other luxury segments), the traditional fashion, clothing, and textile pillars lagged behind and faced contraction.

Italy’s Import-Export Market Analysis very useful also for a general picture of the Italian economy  https://www.tendata.com/blogs/tradedata/10813.html

Key Elements of Italian Fashion Diplomacy

  • Italian Fashion Days in the World (GMIM): Launched by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs alongside the Italian Trade Agency (ITA), this initiative organizes global events (such as showcases in Los Angeles and Montreal) to promote Made in Italy craftsmanship, sustainability, and industrial design.
  • Cultural Exhibitions: Projects like the "Italia è Moda" exhibition tour—promoted through Italian Cultural Institutes abroad (such as in Madrid)—use fashion history, photography, and virtual reality experiences (WAY Experience) to project national identity and heritage.
  • Institutional Governance: The National Chamber of Italian Fashion (Camera Nazionale della Moda Italiana) coordinates high-profile domestic and international events to back young designers and maintain the global prestige of Italian tailoring.
  • Historical Soft Power: Dating back to the post-WWII fashion shows organized by G.B. Giorgini in Florence during the 1950s, fashion has explicitly served to bridge geopolitical, cultural, and commercial ties between Italy, Europe, and the United States.

Recent initiatives

The Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation promotes the Italian Fashion Days Around the World (Giornate della Moda Italiana nel Mondo), featuring initiatives like the 2nd edition in Montreal (August 17–23, 2026) during the M.A.D. Festival and the "Italia è Moda" exhibition, as well as the "Italia di Moda" exhibition touring international stops like Madrid.

Key Details of the 2026 Initiatives

  • Italian Fashion Days Around the World (Montreal): Held from August 17 to 23, 2026, as part of the M.A.D. Festival to celebrate "Made in Italy" craftsmanship, culture, and economic diplomacy.
  • "Italia è Moda" Exhibition: Showcased in Montreal from August 18 to 23, 2026, highlighting Italian design and creativity.
  • "Italia di Moda" International Tour: Launched its international tour in Madrid in September 2026, featuring 49 photographs blending fashion, art, landscape, and cultural heritage with pieces from top Italian fashion houses.
  • Growth Diplomacy: Launched originally under Minister Antonio Tajani to boost global promotion of Italian style, sustainability, and higher education in fashion

https://www.esteri.it/en/sala_stampa/archivionotizie/retediplomatica/2026/08/montreal-seconda-edizione-delle-giornate-della-moda-italiana-nel-mondo/

https://www.esteri.it/en/sala_stampa/archivionotizie/diplomazia-culturale/2026/09/madrid-prima-tappa-internazionale-per-italia-di-moda/

What kind of images does Italy want to project?

Under the initiative of the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (MAECI), Italian fashion is strategically promoted abroad to generate a rich, multidimensional image of Italy. Rather than projecting fashion as just a luxury commercial product, the Ministry's 2026 diplomacy campaigns—such as the traveling exhibition "Italia è Moda", "Italia di Moda", and the "Italian Fashion Days in the World"—frame fashion as a profound expression of national identity.

According to official declarations and curated international exhibitions, Italian fashion generates a global image centered on several key elements:

1. Cultural Identity and Heritage

Fashion is promoted not merely as clothing, but as a living canvas that blends art, history, landscape, and cultural heritage. For instance, the “Italia di Moda” photographic exhibition (which launched its international tour in Madrid in September 2026) deliberately showcases garments from renowned fashion houses set against Italy's natural and historical landmarks, using fashion to tell a story about Italian territory and soul.

2. Tradition Merged with Innovation

The Ministry's initiatives highlight how Italian fashion successfully bridges the gap between the country's ancient craftsmanship (saper fare) and modern, avant-garde technology. Campaigns like Formula Italia and ABITO (featured in Singapore in October 2026) draw direct parallels between the creative engineering behind a racing car and the meticulous design behind a high-fashion dress, illustrating an image of Italian ingenuity, speed, and performance.

3. Sustainability and Ethics

A key image projected in 2026 is that of responsible luxury. The Ministry heavily incorporates discussions on eco-friendly production, smart/circular materials, and sustainable tailoring into its cultural events, ensuring that global audiences view Made in Italy as a brand where beauty and ethics coexist.

4. Economic Vitality and Growth Diplomacy

Through the "Italian Fashion Days in the World," spearheaded by Minister Antonio Tajani, fashion is used as a tool for growth diplomacy. It projects an image of a highly collaborative, economically robust ecosystem—supported by the Sistema Italia network and the Italian Trade Agency (ICE)—representing over 62,000 businesses that drive the nation's creative economy.

By utilizing tools ranging from traditional high-fashion showcases to immersive Virtual Reality experiences, the Ministry hopes to ensure that the international image of Italy is synonymous with excellence, passion, quality, and timeless creativity.

https://wayexperience.it/en/portfolio/italy-is-fashion

https://www.cameramoda.it/en/

https://www.cameramoda.it/en/associazione/news/1693/

Italy’s Import-Export Market Analysis - very useful for a general picture of the Italian economy

  https://www.tendata.com/blogs/tradedata/10813.html

Italy and the enlarged (or wider) Mediterranean

In 2026, Italy’s foreign and defense policies continue to revolve around the strategic concept of the "Enlarged Mediterranean" (Mediterraneo Allargato). This geopolitical framework acknowledges that Italy’s security, economic interests, and energy needs depend heavily on a wide area stretching far beyond its immediate coastline—encompassing North Africa, the Sahel, the Middle East, the Western Balkans, and extending toward the Indo-Pacific.

Italy's strategy and footprint in the wider Mediterranean is evident across several key areas:

1. The "Global Mediterranean" and the Indo-Pacific Axis

Under Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, Italy has increasingly advanced the narrative of a "Global Mediterranean". Rather than treating distant theaters as separate, Italian diplomacy links the Indo-Pacific directly to the Enlarged Mediterranean. Economic security relies heavily on keeping open the vital maritime trade corridors and choke points (from the Malacca Strait through the Red Sea and Suez Canal to Gibraltar) that connect Asian markets with the European Single Market.

2. Economic and Energy Security: The Mattei Plan

A cornerstone of Italy’s engagement in the region is the Piano Mattei (Mattei Plan), an ambitious strategy designed to reshape Italy’s ties with African nations. Moving away from a traditional aid-based model, the plan focuses on equal partnership across six core areas: energy, infrastructure, education, health, water, and agriculture.

  • Energy Hub: Through multinationals like ENI, Italy anchors its energy security via deep-rooted partnerships with countries like Algeria (a primary gas provider), Egypt, and Libya. According to the Italian Maritime Economy 2026 repor, Italy acts as a vital bridge for energy and container distribution despite regional crises.

3. Diplomatic Pillars and Bilateral Relations

Some of Italy's regional priorities:

  • Tunisia & Libya: Central to migration governance and border management coordination.
  • Western Balkans: Italy actively drives regional integration, championing the "Rome Charter" to accelerate the EU accession path for Western Balkan nations.
  • Turkey & Egypt: Highly interdependent partners in trade, infrastructure, and energy diversification (e.g., the Southern Gas Corridor).

4. Security, Defence, Maritime Presence and Trade

Italy projects its international status through prolonged military deployments spanning North Africa, the Middle East, and the Sahel, including leading roles in peacekeeping missions like UNIFIL in Lebanon. To maintain freedom of action and protect critical infrastructure, Italy participates in and often leads and coordinates Mediterranean defense, technology, and security efforts through several key regional initiatives and partnerships regarding cyber defense, artificial intelligence (AI), emerging military technologies and maritime security. Partners include Algeria, France, Italy, Libya, Malta, Mauritania, Morocco, Portugal, Spain, Tunisia, Croazia and the United States

Upcoming meeting

One of the main platforms for discussing these dynamics is the MED – Mediterranean Dialogues (organized by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and ISPI). The 12th edition is scheduled to take place from November 19 to 21, 2026, at the Royal Palace in Naples, bringing together international stakeholders to address regional fragmentation and connectivity.

Italy sees increasing trade as key to strengthening stability in the Mediterranean

and is actively using trade, maritime logistics, and infrastructure partnerships as geopolitical tools to foster long-term stability and resilience across the Mediterranean. Under its broader "Enlarged Mediterranean" strategy, Rome is shifting away from purely transactional relationships to establish deep economic and industrial integrations with regional partners.

Strategic Frameworks Promoting Stability

  • The Mattei Plan: A cornerstone of Italian foreign policy, this initiative fosters co-development in Africa and the Southern Mediterranean. It targets infrastructure, sustainable agriculture, and renewable energy to tackle the economic roots of regional instability and migration.
  • Energy Connections and Infrastructure: Italy is positioning itself as a central Mediterranean clean energy hub. Recent milestones include 14 bilateral pacts signed with Greece, highlighting a €2 billion, 1,000 MW submarine electricity interconnector.
  • Port and Hub Expansion: Italian ports handled over 510 million tons of cargo. Rome is prioritizing investments in major maritime hubs (such as Trieste, Genoa, and Gioia Tauro) to process rising trade volumes and cement its role as Europe's primary southern gateway.

Connecting the Indo-Mediterranean

Italy relies heavily on multinational trade corridors to guarantee regional stability. It supports initiatives like the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC), now threatened by the conflict in the Middle East, and the Trans-Caspian Middle Corridor, increasingly threatened by the spillover from the war in Ukraine and deepening geopolitical instability in the Caucasus. By anchoring European, African, and Asian trade flows into the Mediterranean, Rome aims to create a highly integrated economic zone where shared financial interests naturally discourage conflict and secure maritime transit points.

Italy’s key role maintaining NATO and the EU’s engagement in the Mediterranean

At the same time, Italy plays a critical role in anchoring NATO and the European Union’s strategic engagement in the Mediterranean region, acting as a bridge between Euro-Atlantic security frameworks and dealing with the challenges of the Southern Flank. This is regarded as absolutely fundamental for Italy’s security. Amid an increasingly volatile global landscape marked by rising hybrid threats, shipping disruptions, and geopolitical shifts, Rome relies on a multilateral strategy that balances its Atlantic commitments with European strategic autonomy.

Italy fosters NATO and EU cooperation in the Mediterranean through several key mechanisms:

Securing Critical Undersea Cable Networks and Energy Infrastructure

The Mediterranean’s energy corridors—particularly regasification plants and subsea data and communications cables—are prime targets for hybrid and grey-zone warfare.

  • NATO Integration: Italy actively coordinates the efforts civilian, military, and industry stakeholders to protect these assets. The NATO Critical Undersea Infrastructure Network deploys advanced drone and sensing surveillance across the seabed.
  • National Capabilities: The Italian Navy utilizes its dedicated CUI Surveillance Center (established in 2024) to share real-time threat intelligence with allied nations.

Leading NATO Maritime Presence

Italy remains a primary contributor to Allied deterrence and freedom of navigation initiatives in the Mediterranean basin.

  • Commanding SNMG2: The Italian Navy frequently assumes leadership roles for key operational forces, such as steering the Standing NATO Maritime Group Two (SNMG2), using Italian flagships alongside allied vessels from Canada, Spain, Greece, and Turkey to ensure regional stability.
  • Mediterranean Dialogue: Rome leverages these naval operations to foster diplomatic and military cooperation with non-NATO partner nations in North Africa, such as Egypt.

Here is a short list of ongoing key European Union (EU) and NATO maritime operations in the Mediterranean Sea and wider region:

  • Operation Sea Guardian (NATO): Launched in November 2016 as the successor to Active Endeavour. It is a non-Article 5 maritime security operation focusing on counter-terrorism, maintaining maritime situational awareness, and regional capacity-building.
  • Operation EUNAVFOR MED IRINI (EU): Commenced in March 2020. Its primary core task is implementing the UN arms embargo on Libya. Its mandate also includes tracking illicit petroleum exports, disrupting human trafficking networks, and monitoring Russia's shadow fleet.
  • Aegean Activity (NATO): An ongoing reconnaissance and surveillance mission in the Aegean Sea launched to support international efforts to handle irregular migration. NATO assets provide real-time data to the Greek and Turkish coastguards and the EU’s Frontex agency.
  • Standing NATO Maritime Group 2 / SNMG2 (NATO): A permanent, immediate-readiness naval force patrolling the Mediterranean to ensure freedom of navigation, regional stability, and deterrence. See above.
  • Operation Aspides (EUNAVFOR Aspides): A purely defensive EU naval security operation launched to protect commercial merchant shipping from Houthi attacks in the Red Sea, Bab el-Mandeb Strait, Gulf of Aden, Arabian Sea, Gulf of Oman, and the Persian Gulf.

·         Operation Atalanta (EUNAVFOR Somalia): The EU's long-standing military counter-piracy operation active off the coast of Somalia, the Gulf of Aden, and the western Indian Ocean.

·         NATO Maritime Security & Gulf Engagement: NATO does not have a dedicated, standalone combat armada branded strictly for the Persian Gulf or Red Sea, but it maintains active institutional and maritime frameworks.

·         Gulf Dialogue: NATO and Gulf partners (including Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, and the UAE via the Istanbul Cooperation Initiative) hold regular North Atlantic Council consultations on Middle East maritime security, uncrewed aerial system (UAS) defense, critical infrastructure protection, and counter-terrorism.

·         Coordination: NATO allies (such as the U.S., Italy, the UK, France, and others) frequently coordinate maritime domain awareness and intelligence-sharing alongside coalition efforts like the U.S.-led Combined Maritime Forces (CMF) and national escort missions operating across the Persian Gulf, Strait of Hormuz, and Red Sea corridors. The United States military and U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) actively protect (or at least try to protect), guide, and escort select merchant and oil tankers through the Strait of Hormuz, though the status of the waterway remains heavily contested and restricted compared to pre-war levels.

Regional Partnerships and EU Border Security

Italy builds strategic bilateral alliances that reinforce broader EU objectives in the Mediterranean, striving to prevent regional conflicts from escalating.

  • Defense Alliances: Rome significantly deepened its Mediterranean defense footprint through an agreement with Greece to transfer Italian FREMM frigates to the Hellenic Navy, strengthening the alliance's naval capabilities.
  • Crisis Management: To safeguard EU borders and push for regional de-escalation amidst Middle Eastern conflicts, Italy coordinates tightly with European allies (including France and Germany), deploying naval assets defensively to flashpoints like Cyprus.
  • Energy Diplomacy: Through initiatives like the "Mattei Plan," Italy has bolstered energy partnerships with North African states like Algeria, helping partners distance themselves from Russian influence while securing the EU's Southern energy corridor. This links up with the African component of the EU’s Global Gateway initiative.  

Balancing Responsibilities in "NATO 3.0"

As transatlantic dynamics shift more responsibility toward European allies, Italy continues to advocate that the Mediterranean remain central to Euro-Atlantic security.

Even as attention pivots toward the Arctic or Eastern Europe due to the Russia-China axis, Italian policy actively ensures that NATO and the EU do not neglect the complex migration, terrorist, and hybrid threats facing the Southern Flank.

Background

Italian Mediterranean Strategy (old but still useful) 2017

https://www.esteri.it/mae/resource/doc/2017/12/rapporto-med-maeci-ita.pdf

also for translation practice

https://www.esteri.it/mae/resource/doc/2017/12/rapporto-med-maeci-eng.pdf

https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=342337479509757

video conference 2025 Limes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pCbrKXondtY

https://feps-europe.eu/wp-content/uploads/downloads/publications/study%20on%20the%20mediterranean%20-%206%20-%20dp_hd.pdf 2019

for the Balkan 2023 https://www.esteri.it/it/sala_stampa/archivionotizie/approfondimenti/2023/02/un-piano-strategico-per-la-regione-adriatico-balcanica/

IMEC 2026 https://www.ispionline.it/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Report-IMEC-2026_ISPI.pdf

See also  https://youngdip.blogspot.com/2025/10/the-red-sea-and-maritime-security.html for the Red Sea and maritime security

and recently

https://en.ilsole24ore.com/art/the-italian-frigate-arrived-in-cyprus-usa-turkey-how-nine-countries-defend-the-island-AI9ffhtB?refresh_ce=1 The mission to defend Cyprus, including the Italian missile frigate 'Federico Martinengo

https://www.euronews.com/2026/09/30/eu-to-expand-mediterranean-naval-mission-to-target-russias-shadow-fleet the EU

https://www.act.nato.int/article/tfx-centmed/ NATO Task Force X-Central Mediterranean, an Italian-led initiative

https://www.esteri.it/en/eventi/med-2026-dialoghi-mediterranei/ MED 2026 – Mediterranean Dialogues

and then more general background

https://mecouncil.org/publication_chapters/our-sea-europes-role-in-mediterranean-security/

https://www.marina.difesa.it/EN/Conosciamoci/notizie/Documents/01_casardi_en_giugno.pdf 2021

https://www.esteri.it/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/ecfr-1-Crises-in-the-Mediterranean.pdf

https://ciram.unimc.it/it/focus/diritto-geopolitica-mare/italia-sicurezza-spazi-marittimi/litalia-e-la-sicurezza-degli-spazi-marittimi/StrategiaMediterraneo2022.pdf

https://www.difesaonline.it/2022/10/04/geopolitica-analisi-la-teoria-del-mediterraneo-allargato-e-la-geopolitica-classica-italia/ 2022

https://ciram.unimc.it/it/focus/diritto-geopolitica-mare/italia-sicurezza-spazi-marittimi/litalia-e-la-sicurezza-degli-spazi-marittimi/StrategiaMediterraneo2022.pdf

https://www.geopolitica.info/strategia-sicurezza-difesa-mediterraneo/ 2022

https://www.natofoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/NDCF-Italys-stabilising-role-in-the-wider-Mediterranean-Paper-Brasioli-1.pdf 2023

https://www.ispionline.it/en/publication/italys-renewed-activism-in-the-wider-mediterranean-a-bet-for-the-future-146369 2023

https://www.esteri.it/en/sala_stampa/archivionotizie/comunicati/2023/06/azione-politica-dellitalia-nel-mediterraneo-allargato/ 2023

https://www.ispionline.it/en/publication/italys-wider-mediterranean-is-it-just-about-energy-109073 2023

https://iari.site/2024/09/06/mediterraneo-allargato-dottrina-e-concetto-strategico-per-litalia/#:~:text=L'Ammiraglio%20Domini%20considera%20Mediterraneo,Indiano%20e%20dell'Oceano%20Atlantico.&text=E%20quando%20nascerebbe%3F 2024

https://www.affarinternazionali.it/mediterraneo-allargato-dalle-primavere-arabe-al-piano-mattei/ 2024

https://iari.site/2024/09/30/il-ritorno-alla-multipolarita-nel-mediterraneo-limportanza-geopolitica-e-securitaria/ 2024

https://www.iai.it/en/pubblicazioni/nato-and-southern-neighbourhood-challenges-and-opportunities-italy 2024

https://www.geopolitica.info/la-nato-nel-mediterraneo-allargato/ 2024 NATO

https://www.ispionline.it/it/pubblicazione/med-2025-rilanciare-il-dialogo-per-un-mediterraneo-condiviso-220272 2025

So current challenges to Mediterranean stability in 2026 include geopolitical conflicts, energy security concerns, governance issues, climate change impacts, and migration pressures. Escalating conflicts in the Middle East have disrupted energy supply chains and threaten infrastructure, while political instability and governance failures hinder economic development and increase investor uncertainty. Additionally, the region is experiencing intensified climate change effects, and a growing number of displaced people from conflicts in Africa and the Middle East are increasing migration pressures. 

Geopolitical and security challenges

Escalating conflicts: The Israeli-Palestinian conflict in Gaza, fighting in Lebanon and the US- Iran conflict have strained regional alliances and created significant instability in the Eastern Mediterranean, across the Middle East, the Gulf and in the Red Sea, and near-paralysis at times in the Strait of Hormuz, for shipping to and from the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman.

Hybrid threats: Sea lanes and coastal infrastructure are under threat from hybrid attacks, sabotage, and disruption.

Shifting power dynamics: Competition between regional powers like Turkey and Egypt, alongside instability in countries like Syria and Libya, fuels ongoing tensions. 

Energy security challenges

Conflict impact: Ongoing conflicts risk derailing the Eastern Mediterranean's potential as a key alternative energy supplier and supply route for Europe, which was a goal in the wake of the war in Ukraine.

Uncertainty: The security situation casts doubt on future energy exploration and export plans and supply oute projects, and impacts existing energy agreements. 

Governance and economic challenges

Government-citizen divide: There is an increasing gap between governments and their citizens in many parts of the region.

Investor uncertainty: Persistent governance problems and regulatory barriers in the MENA region affect investor confidence.

Governance issues: Political instability, weak governance, and the spread of extremist groups remain significant challenges. 

Environmental and migration challenges

Climate change: The Mediterranean is warming faster than the global average, leading to significant environmental impacts.

Migration: Humanitarian crises in Sudan and the Sahel are increasing the number of asylum seekers, with significant numbers still heading towards North Africa and Europe.

Environmental degradation: Marine life and ecosystems are under threat from pollution, habitat degradation, and offshore development. 

https://www.esteri.it/en/politica-estera-e-cooperazione-allo-sviluppo/aree_geografiche/mediterr_mo/

https://www.ispionline.it/it/pubblicazione/med-2025-il-mediterraneo-globale-oltre-le-crisi-220698

And https://youngdip.blogspot.com/2024/11/the-black-sea.html for the Black Sea

https://www.federagione.org/2024/07/18/il-presidente-meloni-il-mediterraneo-e-una-priorita-senza-italia-e-libia-non-esiste/

https://www.huffingtonpost.it/blog/2024/08/13/news/il_mediterraneo_allargato_e_la_proiezione_italiana_dalle_primavere_arabe_al_piano_mattei-16687919/

https://rusi.org/explore-our-research/publications/commentary/italy-globally-connected-mediterranean-power

https://www.ispionline.it/en/publication/rethinking-italys-enlarged-mediterranean-176932

https://www.ispionline.it/it/pubblicazione/med-2025-il-mediterraneo-globale-oltre-le-crisi-220698

https://med.ispionline.it/

and the expanding involvement of Italy in the Indo-Pacific region

https://www.geopolitica.info/italy-indopacific-tilt-2025/

https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/blogs/new-atlanticist/italy-can-play-a-role-in-the-indo-pacific-but-must-do-it-its-own-way/

https://www.esteri.it/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/THE_ITALIAN_CONTRIBUTION_TO_THE_EU_STRATEGY_FOR_THE_INDO_PACIFIC.pdf

More on the EU and the Mediterranean https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/speech_25_792

https://north-africa-middle-east-gulf.ec.europa.eu/news/pact-mediterranean-one-sea-one-pact-one-future-shared-ambition-region-2025-10-16_en

https://italy.representation.ec.europa.eu/notizie-ed-eventi/notizie/patto-il-mediterraneo-un-mare-un-patto-un-futuro-unambizione-condivisa-la-regione-2025-10-16_it

https://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operazione_Irini

https://www.operationirini.eu/

https://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operazione_Aspides

https://www.marina.difesa.it/cosa-facciamo/per-la-difesa-sicurezza/operazioni-in-corso/Pagine/operazione_aspides.aspx

https://www.eeas.europa.eu/eeas/maritime-security_en

https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/HTML/?uri=CELEX:52025JC0009

https://www.iss.europa.eu/publications/briefs/war-footing-securing-critical-energy-infrastructure

https://energy.ec.europa.eu/topics/energy-security/security-gas-supply_en

NATO operations and activities in the Mediterranean

https://www.nato.int/cps/en/natohq/topics_70759.htm

https://www.nato.int/cps/en/natohq/topics_136233.htm

Italy’s naval and military commitment to the Mediterranean 2025

https://www.startinsight.eu/en/italy-the-2025-2027-defence-white-paper/

https://theaviationist.com/2025/10/10/italy-2025-defense-plan/

https://www.difesa.it/eng/primo-piano/operation-aspides-italy-takes-over-from-greece-in-command-of-the-eu-mission-in-the-red-sea/74606.html

https://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operazione_Mediterraneo_Sicuro

https://www.difesa.it/operazionimilitari/op-intern-corso/operazione-mediterraneo-sicuro/index/27208.html

https://www.marina.difesa.it/media-cultura/Notiziario-online/Pagine/20250516_MedStrike_2025.aspx

Italy and some of its economic and cooperation partners in the Mediterranean

https://www.cidob.org/en/publications/north-african-energy-links-are-redrawn-italy-becomes-europes-southern-gas-hub

https://eccoclimate.org/it/transizione-energetica-nel-mediterraneo-ripensare-i-partenariati-tra-italia-e-nord-africa/

https://www.terna.it/en/projects/projects-common-interest/italy-tunisia-interconnection

https://www.governo.it/en/articolo/president-meloni-s-press-statement-fifth-italy-algeria-intergovernmental-summit/29333

https://www.ecomondo.com/en/news-detail/italy-egypt-a-growing-partnership-economic-cooperation-and-investment-relations?newsId=2588888

https://www.moroccoworldnews.com/2025/05/203791/ocp-italys-financial-group-sace-announce-e365-million-green-financing-agreement/

https://en.ilsole24ore.com/art/renewed-libya-memorandum-how-migrant-rules-work-minniti-wrote-AH974MCD

https://decode39.com/11520/turkey-italy-a-partnership-bridging-the-mediterranean/

Italy and the Adriatic/Balkans region

https://www.esteri.it/it/sala_stampa/archivionotizie/approfondimenti/2023/02/un-piano-strategico-per-la-regione-adriatico-balcanica/

https://www.esteri.it/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Piano-Regione-Adriatico-Balcanica_DEF-2.pdf

https://www.rainews.it/articoli/2023/01/meloni-allue-lallargamento-ai-balcani-occidentali-deve-diventare-una-priorit-88d02298-ecfe-4d43-ac93-28144c6672fe.html

https://www.cespi.it/it/eventi-attualita/dibattiti/la-ue-i-balcani-la-scommessa-dellallargamento/limpegno-dellitalia-nei

Migration

https://en.unav.edu/web/global-affairs/migracion-en-el-mediterraneo-central-accciones-de-la-ue-y-de-italia

Italy's current strategy to control Mediterranean migration combines external policies like the "Rome Process" to partner with origin countries, an EU-level focus on pushing for a broader EU strategy that emphasizes strengthening external border controls and partnerships with third countries (with fewer calls for internal EU redistribution) and internal measures such as multi-year "Flow Decrees" to manage legal migration and create pathways for workers. This is a new, multi-year approach to migration that sets regular entry quotas for foreign workers in sectors like agriculture, tourism, and caregiving, aiming to balance economic needs with reduced irregular migration.

Moreover, the government aims to use its economic and migration diplomacy to build influence in Africa and address the root causes of instability, as can be seen with the Mattei Plan while strengthening and streamlining legal pathways for both seasonal and non-seasonal workers through multi-year decrees. 

Italy and Africa – the Mattei Plan

https://www.ispionline.it/it/pubblicazione/il-piano-mattei-rilanciare-lafrica-policy-dellitalia-182414?gad_source=1&gclid=EAIaIQobChMInqCb5s-LiQMVMo2DBx3zWBkvEAAYASAAEgLF_PD_BwE Download the paper

https://eccoclimate.org/it/summit-italia-africa-opportunita-e-rischi-del-piano-mattei/

https://eccoclimate.org/the-italy-africa-summit-opportunities-and-risks-of-the-mattei-plan/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dFMYw0qt6vc

Italy and the Sahel

https://theconversation.com/western-troops-have-been-expelled-from-africas-sahel-so-why-are-italys-carabinieri-still-there-281974

https://globalinitiative.net/analysis/human-smuggling-and-trafficking-in-north-africa-and-the-sahel-2026/

https://www.esteri.it/en/politica-estera-e-cooperazione-allo-sviluppo/aree_geografiche/africa/sahel-e-africa-occidentale/

https://www.ispionline.it/it/pubblicazione/italia-in-sahel-tra-priorita-nazionali-e-politiche-europee-135187#:~:text=Le%20forze%20italiane%20sono%20infatti,EUNAVFOR%20Somalia%2C%20EUCAP%2DSahel%2C

https://www.aics.gov.it/news/dialoghi-dallafrica-2025-limpegno-aics-nelle-aree-di-crisi-del-sahel-e-corno-dafrica/?lang=en

Italy and Israel

https://www.reuters.com/world/italys-main-opposition-pd-boycotts-antisemitism-bill-vote-amid-split-left-2026-09-30/

https://www.nytimes.com/2026/04/14/world/middleeast/italy-israel-defense-pact.html

https://www.jpost.com/diaspora/antisemitism/article-910578

https://www.liberoquotidiano.it/news/esteri/40608651/meloni-telefona-netanyahu-attacchi-unifil-inaccettabili.html

https://www.esteri.it/en/sala_stampa/archivionotizie/comunicati/2025/08/appello-dellitalia-e-degli-stati-ue-a-israele-per-pieno-accesso-degli-operatori-umanitari-e-delle-ong-a-gaza/

of general interest

https://formiche.net/2022/06/strategia-italia-difesa-mediterraneo/#content

https://www.internazionale.it/ultime-notizie/2023/10/04/riforma-migranti-unione-europea

https://www.ansa.it/ansamed/it/notizie/rubriche/nazioni/2023/10/06/meloni-e-il-patto-a-6-sui-migranti-altro-che-isolati_aa3d85cb-876b-4d7c-aed8-f0f64dc324c8.html

https://www.rainews.it/articoli/2023/09/vertice-med9-migranti-meloni-a-malta-senza-risposte-strutturali-tutti-quanti-verranno-travolti--516242f5-15f6-43e2-ab34-4f1f84bbe5ea.html

https://www.rainews.it/articoli/2023/09/migranti-meloni-a-malta-cerca-sponde-tra-i-paesi-del-med9-e-chiede-coesione-20504a76-6c3b-4b8e-8146-179e53591a00.html

https://www.governo.it/it/articolo/intervento-del-presidente-meloni-ai-dialoghi-sul-mediterraneo-di-roma/21174

https://www.governo.it/en/articolo/president-meloni-s-speech-rome-med-mediterranean-dialogues/21227

https://www.lemonde.fr/en/international/article/2023/01/24/giorgia-meloni-launches-her-mediterranean-policy-in-algiers_6012947_4.html

https://www.ansa.it/nuova_europa/en/news/countries/greece/2023/08/31/meloni-mitsotakis-mediterranean-axis-for-immigration_e8017a2b-d3d1-4835-a0d8-cd5790f77909.html

https://formiche.net/2023/01/algeria-turchia-libia-mediterraneo-mezran/

https://www.ansa.it/ansamed/it/notizie/rubriche/politica/2023/01/23/meloni-ad-algeri-mediterraneo-e-strategico-per-litalia_0ef34edc-b83a-4b38-a974-4f26ee6c8614.html

https://atalayar.com/en/content/meloni-resumes-draghis-agenda-algeria-we-will-be-gas-hub-europe

https://www.governo.it/it/media/visita-del-presidente-meloni-libia/21615

https://tg24.sky.it/mondo/2023/09/09/terremoto-marocco-reazioni

https://www.governo.it/it/articolo/meloni-incontra-il-primo-ministro-dello-stato-disraele-netanyahu/22026

https://www.ansa.it/sito/notizie/mondo/africa/2023/10/21/-meloni-a-netanyahu-combattere-antisemitismo-oggi-come-ieri-_c38deda0-97a3-4538-b943-ad07be6be64b.html

https://www.ilsole24ore.com/art/meloni-ad-algeri-piano-far-diventare-l-italia-l-hub-energetico-dell-europa-AExCABZC

https://www.ilpost.it/2023/07/20/zaki-meloni-al-sisi/

https://consizmir.esteri.it/it/litalia-e-turchia/

https://finanza.lastampa.it/News/2023/07/12/incontro-meloni-erdogan-a-vilnius-la-turchia-continuera-la-sua-forte-cooperazione-con-litalia/MzVfMjAyMy0wNy0xMl9UTEI

https://www.ilfoglio.it/esteri/2023/07/19/news/al-sisi-concede-la-grazia-a-patrick-zaki-5515445/

https://www.fpri.org/article/2023/09/a-long-hot-summer-for-eastern-mediterranean-gas-politics/

https://www.eni.com/en-IT/media/press-release/2023/01/eni-announces-a-new-gas-discovery-in-the-eastern-mediterranean-sea-offshore-egypt.html

https://decode39.com/5313/italy-nato-monitoring-russia-ships-med/

https://www.iai.it/en/pubblicazioni/food-energy-nexus-and-italy-morocco-cooperation

https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/italy-wants-more-money-africa-curb-arrivals-europe-2023-02-06/

https://www.ispionline.it/en/publication/italys-renewed-activism-in-the-wider-mediterranean-a-bet-for-the-future-146369

https://www.esteri.it/en/politica-estera-e-cooperazione-allo-sviluppo/aree_geografiche/africa/sahel-e-africa-occidentale/

2022 and earlier

https://www.ispionline.it/sites/default/files/pubblicazioni/ispi-pb_italy_africa_sahel_casola_2021.pdf                                   

https://feps-europe.eu/wp-content/uploads/downloads/publications/study%20on%20the%20mediterranean%20-%207%20-%20pp_hd.pdf

https://decode39.com/3569/italian-defence-strategy-mediterranean/

https://feps-europe.eu/wp-content/uploads/downloads/publications/study%20on%20the%20mediterranean%20-%206%20-%20dp_hd.pdf

https://www.iai.it/it/pubblicazioni/re-discovering-italys-mediterranean-vocation

https://www.med-or.org/en/news/la-strategia-italiana-ed-europea-per-un-nuovo-protagonismo-del-mediterraneo-nel-mondo

https://cepa.org/article/rome-alone-italys-mediterranean-defense-strategy/

https://www.huffingtonpost.it/esteri/2022/05/14/news/la_strategia_italiana_ed_europea_per_un_nuovo_protagonismo_del_mediterraneo-9390975/

https://www.repubblica.it/politica/2022/06/09/news/deterrenza_intelligence_cambia_strategia_italiana_mediterraneo-353152526/

https://pagineesteri.it/2021/12/31/africa/italia-in-mali-assieme-ai-golpisti-per-fermare-i-flussi-migratori-e-stabilizzare-il-sahel/

https://foreignpolicy.com/2021/01/21/italys-mediterranean-belt-and-road/

https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/ip_21_426

https://www.esteri.it/en/sala_stampa/archivionotizie/interviste/2021/12/di-maio-il-mediterraneo-torni-a-essere-spazio-di-dialogo-la-repubblica/

https://www.esteri.it/en/politica-estera-e-cooperazione-allo-sviluppo/aree_geografiche/africa/sahel-e-africa-occidentale/

https://www.ispionline.it/sites/default/files/pubblicazioni/ispi-pb_italy_africa_sahel_casola_2021.pdf                                   

https://www.med-or.org/en/news/italia-e-marocco-un-partenariato-strategico-per-il-mediterraneo-allargato-e-lafrica

Italy and Mediterranean cultures

https://iicalgeri.esteri.it/it/gli_eventi/calendario/italia-culture-mediterraneo/

https://iicalgeri.esteri.it/it/gli_eventi/calendario/slim-settimana-della-lingua-italiana-nel-mondo/

https://www.esteri.it/en/sala_stampa/archivionotizie/approfondimenti/2017/10/italia-culture-mediterraneo-2/

https://www.freiheit.org/spain-italy-portugal-and-mediterranean-dialogue/mediterranean-sea-cultures-adapted-each-person

https://www.nato.int/cps/en/natohq/topics_136233.htm

to watch

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8W0kCXuMJX4

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WVGyY_at20Y

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kx39dXlbmg8