Ankara: Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan is set to embark on an official visit to Italy from September 11-12, as announced by the Turkish Foreign Ministry on Wednesday. This visit aims to further strengthen the ties between the two nations through a series of high-level discussions.

According to TRTworld.com, Fidan will engage in talks with Italian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Antonio Tajani. This meeting follows their previous encounter in Antalya during the NATO Foreign Ministers Informal Meeting on May 14-15. The visit is part of ongoing diplomatic exchanges, highlighted by the recent Trkiye-Italy-Libya Trilateral Leaders Summit in Istanbul and the fourth Trkiye-Italy Intergovernmental Summit in Rome.

The discussions will cover a broad agenda, including cooperation on irregular migration, scientific and technological innovation, NATO-related issues, and Trkiye-EU relations. Both ministers are also expected to exchange views on diverse international matters, including Libya, Palestine's Gaza, Syria, Ukraine, Iran, and Africa.

Bilateral trade between Trkiye and Italy reached $32.2 billion in 2024, establishing Italy as Trkiye's fifth-largest export market globally and the second-largest within the European Union. An ambitious new trade target of $40 billion was set at the latest intergovernmental summit in Rome.

Defence and energy sectors are pivotal in the bilateral relationship. Turkish defence company Baykar has partnered with Italian aerospace giant Leonardo and acquired Italy's Piaggio Aerospace. Discussions are ongoing regarding Trkiye's potential procurement of Eurofighter Typhoon jets. In the energy sector, both countries are significant players in the Southern Gas Corridor, with natural gas transported via the Trans-Adriatic Pipeline to Italy.

The Turkish community in Italy, numbering approximately 50,000, continues to enrich the country's social and cultural landscape. Tourism also plays a vital role in the relationship, with over 719,000 Italians visiting Trkiye in 2024.