On 10 September, the Chief of the Italian Defense Staff General Luciano Portolano conducted an official visit to Tripoli on the invitation of Libyan Army Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Salaheddin al-Namroush. Portolano’s delegation included Major General Andrea Argieri, the Head of the Directorate for Strategy and International Cooperation of the Defense Staff (III Reparto – Direzione Strategica e Cooperazione Militare), Brigadier General Maurizio Settesoldi, Commander of MIASIT (Missione Bilaterale di Assistenza e Supporto in Libia), the Bilateral Assistance and Support Mission in Libya, and several other senior officers.
General Portolano began his official schedule at the Libyan Army General Staff Headquarters, where he was welcomed by al-Namroush with a formal reception ceremony. In their bilateral talks, that took place in a particularly friendly atmosphere, the two military chiefs reviewed progress under the 2020 defense agreement, discussed the legal framework, and agreed to broaden joint military cooperation. Discussions centered on expanding capacity-building programs and introducing specialized training in advanced domains such as cyber defense, Special Forces operations, and in the use of artificial intelligence in the military environment.
Portolano offered to increase the number of Libyan cadets and NCOs admitted to Italian military academies and schools and gave an update about the maintenance of the Libyan naval vessel Ibn Haritha, which is currently underway in the Messina Naval Arsenal in Sicily. Both Generals expressed a mutual desire to open technical and industrial partnerships involving major Italian defense firms. Al-Namroush expressed deep gratitude for Italy’s operational contributions through the Bilateral Mission MIASIT, its leadership of EUNAVFOR MED IRINI, and the support to the Libyan Coast Guard. Finally, al-Namroush and Portolano discussed also the intended cooperation in the AFRICOM FLINTLOCK 2027 exercise.
Thereafter, accompanied by al-Namroush, General Portolano proceeded to the Ministry of Defense to meet with Undersecretary for Regions and Military Affairs Lieutenant General Abdul Salam Zoubi. This meeting was dedicated to broadening the dialogue on overarching defense policy and strategic cooperation. Al-Zoubi reaffirmed the ministry’s full backing for deepening bilateral ties, emphasizing joint initiatives in training, qualification programs, and technical expertise exchange. He highlighted the deep political, economic, and cultural bonds between the two nations, emphasizing Italy’s indispensable role in fostering regional stability across the Mediterranean.
Portolano’s public statements, echoed and expanded in Italian media, present Libya as a ‘crucial’ country for the protection of Italy’s vital and strategic interests in the Mediterranean.