Brussels, 04/03/2014 (Agence Europe) - The new Italian prime minister, Matteo Renzi, arrived in Tunis on Tuesday 4 March for a visit of a few hours, an AFP photographer reported. This is his first trip abroad since taking up his duties last month.
Renzi met President of the Republic of Tunisia Moncef Marzouki, Prime Minister Mehdi Jomaa and the President of the Constituent Assembly Mustapha Ben Jaafar. He was also expected to meet representatives of Tunisian civil society and the president of the employers' union, Wided Bouchamaoui. Renzi announced last month that his first trip abroad would be to Tunisia, in order to highlight the importance of the Mediterranean basin. Illegal immigration is a key subject in relations between Tunisia and Italy, as a great many makeshift vessels carrying passengers trying to make for Europe leave Tunisia and Libya for the Italian island of Lampedusa, off the coast of Tunisia, often with tragic consequences. (LC)