Tajani – Everyone involved in the Pescara G7 is committed to peace in the Middle East

Yesterday, the Italian government opened the proceedings of the "G7 Development" in Pescara with a "Humanitarian Conference" focusing on the main emergency the Mediterranean is currently facing, i.e. the wars in Gaza and Lebanon, which are dramatically affecting people whose lives have been at stake for too long. Israeli, Lebanese, Palestinian and Syrian citizens have been experiencing the consequences of harsh military operations since 7 October 2023, the day of the terrorist attack by Hamas.

That is why I organised this first Conference on Gaza and Lebanon, with representatives of the Lebanese and Israeli governments and the Palestinian Authority, as a way for Italy and the G7 to strengthen humanitarian access in the areas affected by the conflict and reopen paths of dialogue and peace.

I discussed all of the above last Monday during my trip to Israel and Palestine, confirming Italy's commitment to putting an end to the conflict, freeing hostages and reducing the consequences civilians are forced to suffer.

The issue of assistance to the populations of the region has prompted the Italian government to focus its attention also on Syria and the suffering of its people, highlighting the need to continue along a path of assistance, which is necessary also to prevent new migratory exoduses.

During the Humanitarian Conference, we listened to the parties concerned. Over three separate sessions, we held meetings with the Palestinian Minister of National Economy, Mohammed Al-Amour, the Lebanese Minister of Foreign Affairs, Abdallah Bou Habib, and the Israeli Ambassador to the United Nations Organisations in Rome. Italy presented the experience of the "Food for Gaza" initiative, whereby we are trying to bring relief to the civilian population. The objective of the meeting in Pescara was to increase international commitment to the region so as to meet the immediate needs of civilians, but also to build a path of reconstruction that will bring about peace, stability and security for all.

At the end of the session, I issued a statement as chair of the G7, recalling that "the Pescara Conference has laid the groundwork for a return to dialogue among the countries of the region. The members of the G7 insist on calling for a diplomatic solution in Lebanon, in compliance with UN Resolution 1701, and for an end to the war in Gaza."

We are committed to outlining a path of concrete follow-ups after Pescara, starting with the international conference convened by France in Paris for 24 October, followed by the "Med Dialogues" in Rome and the G7 Foreign Ministers' Summit in Fiuggi, both of which I organised in November.

Starting today in Pescara, we will continue discussions with the other Ministers of Development of the G7 countries on concrete solutions to address the crisis scenarios and global challenges that threaten our societies. To do so, I have invited many other key players, including countries such as Ethiopia, Kenya, Senegal, South Africa, Uganda and the United Arab Emirates, but also international organisations and Italian and international companies.

With them, we want to share the watchwords of our G7 Presidency - peace, development and growth. Peace is not only a moral, religious, civil obligation.

Peace is a concrete interest - it is a precondition for the growth of our partner countries and our economies, for the benefit of all our peoples. For where goods circulate, weapons do not. Where weapons do not proliferate, development does, and where there is development, the future of peoples is built.

Africa will be at the heart of the G7 sessions in Pescara. The African continent is the Italian government's top strategic priority, and the Italian G7 Presidency has also made it a central point. In Pescara, we confirmed the importance of dialogue and diplomacy to address the major international crises and global challenges before us. As the President of the G7, Italy will continue to maintain a strong focus on these challenges, starting with the G7 Foreign Ministers' Summit in Fiuggi in November.

Public link

Please use the above public link if you want to share this noodl on another website.