#29 Italy's migration diplomacy: inside Italian strategy on Tunisia, Libya, and Europe's southern border

Italy's migration diplomacy plays a crucial role in managing Mediterranean migration flows. Maurizio Canfora provides an inside look at Italian foreign policy, cooperation with Tunisia and Libya, and EU border management strategies.

Get the enhanced episode transcript here 👉🏻 www.emmanuel-comte.eu/product/enhanced-transcript-29/.

Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/i-gC1VmEHnk

In this interview, Emmanuel Comte speaks with Maurizio Canfora, Italy’s Vice Minister Plenipotentiary and Director General for European Integration. Canfora offers an insider’s look at how Italy influences the EU Migration Pact, manages partnerships with Tunisia and Libya, and navigates border diplomacy amid rising geopolitical tension. Listeners will gain insight into Italy’s complex balancing act: safeguarding the Schengen zone, supplying its labor market, and curbing irregular migration through strategic cooperation. We explore Italy’s evolving stance on Frontex, the legal limits of maritime border control, and the country’s high-stakes engagement with France, Germany, and the European Commission. For anyone following Mediterranean migration, EU external relations, or the future of free movement in Europe, this episode is essential listening.

This interview was arranged by Lisa Sottanelli and edited by Andriana Lagoudes. This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation program under the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Grant Agreement No 101034403.

00:00 Introduction
02:39 A Diplomat’s Journey into Migration
08:36 Labor Markets & Legal Pathways
14:08 Border Management & Frontex
21:20 Strategic Partnerships with North African Countries
32:45 EU Responsibility & the Schengen Framework
40:55 Libya & Tunisia – Diplomacy in Practice
45:00 Internal EU Consensus & Migration Policy
53:42 Social Attitudes & Migration Perceptions
1:00:31 Future Priorities & Budget Negotiations