Italy wants to become Tunisia's primary commercial partner, interior minister Matteo Salvini said on Thursday during a visit to Tunis aimed at boosting bilateral ties and security cooperation.
"Italy's objective is to become Tunisia's top economic and trade partner," Salvini told reporters.
"My compliments to the country's authorities for the economic and social reforms they have rolled out to date," he said.
A total 800 Italian companies have operations in Tunisia, employing 63,000 people and generating work for allied industries and services, according to the interior ministry.
Ahead of his visit to Tunisia for talks with Tunisia's president Beji Caid Essebsi and interior minister Hichem Fourati, Salvini described bilateral ties as "very good".
"Relations between Italy and Tunisia are very good," Salvini said in a statement on Wednesday.
"Tunisia is a model of democracy for the whole of Africa and we intend to support it with determination also in the fight against terrorist threats," the statement added.
