Italy wants to boost cooperation with Algeria, a key energy supplier, to help safeguard Italian and European energy needs amid the escalating Russia-Ukraine conflict, foreign minister Luigi Di Maio said on Monday.
"The Italian government is committed to boosting supplies of energy, especially gas, from other international partners. Among these, Algeria, which has always been a reliable partner, plays a crucial role," Di Maio told reporters during a visit to Algeria.
Italy pledges to "mitigate" the effects on European energy supplies of the crisis sparked by the five-day-old war in Ukraine and resulting international sanctions, said Di Maio.
Di Maio's visit to Algeria shows how the Italian government "is determined to tackle the effect of the international sanctions imposed on Russia, without wasting a moment," he stated.
Italy currently depends on Russia for 40% of its energy requirements and is in talks to increase the 28% share currently supplied by Algeria, Di Maio said.
During talks in Algiers, Di Maio and Algeria's foreign minister Ramtane Lamamra looked at ways of boosting cooperation in the field of renewables, he said.
"We discussed how to strengthen our collaboration on renewable energy in the area of wind, solar and green hydrogen, also by adapting gas infrastructure," said Di Maio.
Di Maio travelled to Algiers with Claudio Descalzi, chief executive of Italian oil major ENI, and held talks there with Algeria's president Abdelmadjid Tebboune and energy minister Amohammed Arkab, as well with Lamamra.
.jpg)
