(12 September, 2016) Friuli Venezia Giulia intervenes in Libya in the sectors of agriculture, food safety, environment, land, health care, support to micro, small and medium businesses, governance and society. The focus will be on water resources and the promotion of cultural heritage and training. The news arrives from Gorizia, where the President of the Friuli Venezia Giulia region, Franco Iacop, spoke at the conference “Libya: Chaos and opportunity. What will the future hold for the country and Italian companies?”. Iacop underlines: “In the context of the new ENP (European Neighbourhood Policy), among whose partner countries include Libya, the euro-mediterranean cooperation will be able to carry out an important role in the country’s economic growth and create new jobs”. In addition to an analysis of the economic situation preceding 2011, the year in which Colonel Muammar Gheddafi was killed, the conference also includes a speech by the deputy mayor of Tripoli, Ibrahim Arebi who spoke about how new opportunities and ideas for the country’s political and economic future can branch out from the capital to the rest of the country. On behalf of the European Committee of Regions, Filippo Terruso’s outlines the “Nicosia of ARLEM” initiative. In other words, support to Libyan towns and a potential stability for Libya. In the meantime, the President of the Italian-Libyan Chamber of Commerce, Gian Franco Damiano stated the strategical role of Italian companies for Libya’s future. In this framework Iacop, who is also a member of the European Committee of Regions, has spoken of Friuli Venezia Giulia’s strongpoints in terms of its contribution to Libya’s future. Iacop further explains, “The European Neighbourhood Instrument (European Neighbourhood Instrument – ENI) finances EU actions to help ENP partner countries,” Iacop also refers to the EU’s multi-year management of European Grouping of Territorial Cooperation (EGTC) to which institutions from extra-European countries can participate. The Union for the Mediterranean (UfM) has also implemented targeted projects. In the same sense, the Friuli Venezia Giulia Region aims to promote agreements with local and regional institutional partners to intensify cooperation and partnerships, involving the comprehensive and sustained commitment of all participants in their respective local communities, contributing to territorial development. (Red)
