Tirana – Undersecretary Tripodi attends CEI Ministers of Foreign Affairs Meeting

Italian Undersecretary of State to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Maria Tripodi today took part in the meeting of the Foreign Ministers of the Central European Initiative (CEI) held in Tirana. The Undersecretary attended the meeting on behalf of Italian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Antonio Tajani. Topics discussed included the strengthening of the Organisation, regional cooperation, the European integration process and support for Ukraine.

During her speech, Undersecretary Tripodi spoke about the important role played for over 30 years by the Intergovernmental Forum in favour of regional cooperation and the commitment shown by Italy in supporting this process, also thanks to the financing of the CEI Fund at the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development. This important contribution has resulted in this year's significant projects aimed at young entrepreneurs in the Western Balkans, SMEs in Moldova, and mobility in Ukraine.

The Undersecretary also stressed Italy's firm condemnation of the Russian aggression and its priority support for Ukraine, which will also continue with the Ukraine Recovery Conference to be held in Rome in July 2025. Thanking the Albanian Chairmanship for its excellent work, Tripodi concluded by expressing her best wishes to Serbia for its upcoming Chairmanship and expressed great satisfaction with the appointment of Franco Dal Mas as the new CEI Secretary General, who will take over from Roberto Antonione on 1 January 2025.