From Houthi attacks in the Red Sea to energy challenges… “Fioromediterraneo” discusses geopolitical challenges… What’s Tunisia’s connection?

Department  of Research, Strategic Studies and International Relations 

April22, 2024

The geopolitical landscape encompassing the Mediterranean region, along with strategic challenges in energy, infrastructure, and migration, took center stage on the first day of the Euro-Mediterranean Economy Festival “Fioromediterraneo” in Naples, as reported by the Italian news agency Nova.

Roberto Napoletano, the director of “Il quotidiano del Sud” and “Fioromediterraneo,” inaugurated the second edition of the festival, which will continue its activities until next Saturday, saying, “Naples is the capital of the Mediterranean. We’ve signed the Naples Charter, shedding light on the need to change the narrative of the South (Southern Italy)… Fioromediterraneo also aims to serve as a platform for dialogue and meetings between our South and Africa.”

During the sessions of the first day, Dario Scannapieco, the CEO of the Deposit and Loans Fund, pointed out that “in recent years, the South has lagged in growth compared to the rest of Italy. The South will be the sixth-largest country in terms of population in the European Union and will account for 22% of Italy’s GDP.”

Migration Phenomenon

According to Scannapieco, the migration phenomenon “poses a challenge to the development of Southern Italy,” which represents “the natural candidate for the role of the logistical center for trade flows between North Africa and continental Europe.”

In the context of development cooperation, “the Deposit and Loans Fund plans to open offices in sub-Saharan Africa, in Abidjan, Dakar, or Nairobi,” Scannapieco added.

Adolfo Urso, the Minister of Industry and Business in Italy, stated that the South “has become Europe’s development bridge, the path to Europe’s growth, and hence the Meloni government must insist on industrial development strategies.”

Urso emphasized that “Europe must grow in the coming decades thanks to the South, both in terms of trade routes and energy supplies. Italy is the European gas hub and electricity center, as well as the supplier of raw materials needed by European industries.”

Luigi Ferraris, the CEO of Italian Railways, highlighted that the connection between Naples and Bari “is one of the main tasks in the industrial plan of Ferrovie dello Stato, funded by the national recovery plan and strengthening resilience capacity supported by the European Union. Once completed, it will be possible to connect Naples with Bari in about two hours, and consequently also Rome in three hours.”

High Cost

At the end of the morning session, Pietro Salini, the CEO of Webuild, said, “Italy has not invested in infrastructure over the past fifteen years, and we will pay the price for it in terms of competitiveness. Even the significant growth in tourism does not solve the country’s development problem.”

African Stability

Regarding the CEO of A2A Energy Company, Renato Mazzoncini, “in the coming years, the South will undoubtedly have lower energy costs than Northern Italy and Northern Europe. Europe has had remarkable capacity to become independent from Russia, and there has been a significant shift in the gravity center for Italy, which undoubtedly moved to the South.”

Mazzoncini stressed that “it is therefore logical to transfer industries to Southern Italy,” warning that the complete closure of gas flows from Russia to Italy “requires stability in North Africa.”

He pointed out that energy bills “have decreased significantly compared to what they were six or twelve months ago. I imagine they will continue to decline, and we must continue to invest in renewable energy sources,” reminding that Italy is one of the central countries in the world.

Claudio Farina, CEO of Strategy and Technology at Snam, announced that Southern Italy has become “a strategic site for security, cost-bearing capacity, and sustainable energy supply in the country,” emphasizing that the energy transition will be necessary for all technologies.

Houthi Crisis

Lapo Pistelli, the Director of Public Affairs at ENI, stated, “The crisis we are witnessing in the South, the Houthi crisis and Bab el-Mandeb, represents a real problem for the Mediterranean, not for energy supplies, but for all products coming from there.”

He referred to the African tour that then directly leads to European ports, bypassing the Mediterranean Sea, and when routes unify, they do not return the next morning,” referring to military operations carried out by the Houthis against ships in the Red Sea, claiming it’s a response to ongoing Israeli massacres in Gaza.

As for Davide Tabarelli, CEO of Nomisma Energia, he pointed out that “our system lacks competitiveness in the energy sector. We pay more for electricity in Europe and Italy compared to what they pay in the United States, where they pay one-third less.”