Interior minister Marco Minniti on Monday sent a message of support to Libya's coastguard, which Italy is training to fight people-smuggling in the Mediterranean amid a growing migrant influx.
"We will not leave you alone Libya, #Italy and the #EU, they all stand firmly behind you," tweeted Minniti.
"Impressed by your motivation and resolve. We trust your efforts and professionalism," read another tweet.
Minniti earlier met the United Nations backed government's prime minister Fayez al-Serraj during a visit to Libya on Monday, Italy's embassy to Libya tweeted.
Italy signed a deal with the fragile Serraj government in Tripoli in February that promised training and money to fight human traffickers - an agreement initially endorsed by EU states at a summit in Malta.
The EU is also considering a request for equipment including ships armed with machine guns for the Libyan coastguard, which is attempting to increase its operations.
The Libyan coastguard, which has received offshore training from European nations including the UK, has been accused of shooting and beating refugees and causing hundreds to drown, and of attacking international rescue ships.
Libya's rival parliament in Tobruk declared the February accord between Tripoli and Italy “null and void” and declared the UN-backed government of having “no legal status in the Libyan state”.
