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  • India govt gives nod to migration, mobility pact with Italy  

    India govt gives nod to migration, mobility pact with Italy  

    Cooperation between the two parties in the fight against irregular migration has also been formalised through the Agreement...reports Asian Lite News

    The Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has given its ex-post facto approval to the proposal of the Ministry of External Affairs to sign and ratify the Migration and Mobility Agreement between India and Italy, the Cabinet informed in a release on Wednesday.

    The agreement would enhance people-to-people contacts, foster mobility of students, skilled workers, business people and young professionals and strengthen cooperation on issues related to irregular migration between the two sides. The agreement locks in the current Italian visa regime including mechanisms for post-study opportunities, internships, and professional training assuring an advantage for India under the existing labour mobility pathways under the Flows Decree. According to the release, after this agreement, the Indian students wishing to gather initial professional experience, after completing academic or vocational training in Italy may be granted temporary residence in Italy for up to 12 months.

    The Italian side has detailed provisions related to professional training, extracurricular internships and curricular internships which allow Indian students and trainees to gain experience in Italian skills and training standards. For workers, the Italian side has reserved a quota of 5000, 6000 and 7000 non-seasonal Indian workers for 2023, 2024 and 2025 under the current Flows Decree (Total reserved quota stands at 12000 for non-seasonal workers). Additionally, the Italian side has also reserved a quota of 3000, 4000 and 5000 seasonal Indian workers for 2023, 2024 and 2025 under the current Flows Decree (Total reserved quota stands at 8000 for seasonal workers), the release added. Under the Flows Decree, the Italian side has also offered incremental reserved quotas for both seasonal and non-seasonal workers from 2023-2025. Additionally, the Agreement also formalises joint working on furthering mobility pathways between India and Italy through agreements on Youth Mobility and Facilitation of Recruitment of Indian qualified professionals in the healthcare and medical services sectors which will be discussed under the Joint Working Group (JWG).

    Cooperation between the two parties in the fight against irregular migration has also been formalised through the Agreement. “This agreement will come into effect on the first day of the second month following the date of receipt of the last of the two notifications by which parties shall have communicated to each other the completion of their internal procedures necessary for its entry into force and will remain into force for a period of 5 years. Unless terminated by any participant, the agreement will be automatically renewed for a similar successive period,” the release stated. The agreement provides a formal mechanism for its monitoring through a JWG which would meet periodically, in virtual or physical mode as convenient, and oversee its implementation. The JWG would share relevant information, evaluate the implementation of the agreement and discuss all appropriate proposals to support implementation as necessary. Notably, the agreement was signed on November 2 this year, by External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on the Indian side and the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Antonio Tajani on the Italian side, the cabinet release added. (ANI)

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  • Italy formally exits China’s BRI

    Italy formally exits China’s BRI

    The withdrawal was initially reported by the Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera, which stated that Beijing was informed of the much-awaited decision three days ago…reports Asian Lite News

    Italy has taken an exit from China’s Belt and Road Initiative, four years after becoming the only Group of Seven (G7) nation to sign up for it.

    The withdrawal was initially reported by the Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera, which stated that Beijing was informed of the much-awaited decision three days ago. Italy was the first significant Western country to join the project in 2019, despite US worries about China acquiring control over vital infrastructure and technologies.According to an auto-translation of the Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera, the formal exit of Rome from the project occurred through the cancellation of the agreement by the Italian government.

    China’s Belt and Road.

    In the end, after weeks of confidential negotiations and some diplomatic misunderstandings, Italy produced a verbal note, accompanied it with promises of strategic friendship capable of relaunching relations between the two states, and delivered it in Beijing to the Chinese government authorities, the Italian publication Corriere della Sera reported.It is advantageous for both that there was little public announcement of the official cancellation (none of the two countries released a statement).

    Beijing is in charge of a project that has partially fallen into financial difficulties.The Silk Road Memorandum was notably signed by then-Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte of Italy and Chinese President Xi Jinping on March 23, 2019, according to Corriere della Sera.

    Notably, it was upon taking office last year, that Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni stated her intention to pull out of the BRI, citing the absence of significant advantages for her country, Al Jazeera reported.It was earlier in September this year that Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni had said that leaving the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) also known as Silk Road does not compromise relations with China.

    According to Italian media, Corriere della Sera daily, it was on the sidelines of the G20 Summit here in Delhi this year, that the Italian PM met Chinese Premier Li Qiang and shared her plan to pull out of the BRI.In the press conference on the last day of the G20 Summit, Meloni turned to talk about the conversation she had with the head of the Chinese government.

    “A cordial and constructive dialogue on how we can deepen our bilateral partnership… I intend to keep my commitment to visit China…It makes more sense to go to China when we have more information on our bilateral cooperation and how to develop it,” Meloni said at the conference, according to the Italian media report.”Leaving the Silk Road does not compromise relations, but the decision still has to be taken,” the prime minister assured.

    “The Italian government was invited to the Belt and Road Forum, but yesterday we didn’t talk about it,” Meloni said at the conference. (ANI)

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  • EAM, Italian counterpart Tajani sign pacts to boost youth mobility

    EAM, Italian counterpart Tajani sign pacts to boost youth mobility

    Before concluding his visit, EAM also held interaction with the Indian diaspora, the India-Italy Parliamentary Friendship Group and senior dignitaries of the Italian government…reports Asian Lite News

    External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and his Italian counterpart Antonio Tajani signed two significant agreements, to boost the mobility of youth and skilled workers in a safe and legal manner.

    The two ministers signed agreements on Migration and Mobility Partnership, and Executive Programme on Cultural Cooperation for the period 2023-27.

    “These will provide a major boost to the mobility of youth and skilled workers in a safe and legal manner, thereby promoting people-to-people ties, trade and tourism,” the Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement.

    Jaishankar was on an official visit to Italy from November 2 to 3 at the invitation of the Italian Deputy PM and Foreign Minister.

    During the visit, EAM called on Italian President Sergio Mattarella and held delegation-level talks with his Italian counterpart Tajani. He also met Defence Minister Guido Crosetto and Minister of Enterprises and Made in Italy, Adolfo Urso.

    “He addressed the Joint Committees of External and Defence Affairs, and EU Affairs in the Italian Senate, and also interacted with prominent think tanks and thought leaders,” the statement said.

    Moreover, Italian President Mattarella during his meeting with EAM, reiterated his strong support for advancing bilateral ties as well as deepening India-Italy and India-EU linkages.

    Meanwhile, EAM Jaishankar held a meeting with Italian Defence Minister Crosetto, where they both focused on deepening strategic cooperation including industrial collaboration in defence manufacturing and in areas of counter-terrorism, cyber security and maritime domain.

    Additionally, Minister Urso, “discussed ways to promote bilateral trade and investment, with focus on areas of agro-tech, engineering, digital infrastructure, innovation and space.”

    During the visit, Jaishankar and Foreign Minister Tajani reviewed the entire gamut of the India-Italy Strategic Partnership and expressed happiness at the steady growth in diverse areas of India-Italy bilateral cooperation including regular high-level exchanges and interaction, economic collaboration, defence and security, S&T, culture and people to people connect.

    Meanwhile, both sides agreed that there is a “huge potential for further increasing collaboration in areas of Renewable Energy, IT and startups, digital infrastructure, innovation, Artificial Intelligence, cyber and space,” the statement said.

    The economic partnership between India and Italy which is among the top 10 economies, is crucial for the diversification of the global supply chain, given their respective strengths.

    Moreover, both ministers deliberated upon the important regional and international developments, including India’s successful G20 Presidency in Delhi, Italy’s upcoming G7 Presidency, India-EU relations, the Mediterranean and the Indo-Pacific, the conflict in Ukraine, and the situation in West Asia.

    Jaishankar also appreciated Italy for joining the key India-led global initiatives such as ISA, CDRI, IPOI, Global Bio-Fuels Alliance and India Middle East Europe Economic Corridor (IMEEC), reflecting the growing convergence of our views on important global issues.

    Notably, both sides hoped for the early conclusion of the India-EU Free Trade Agreement negotiations.

    Later, “FM Tajani also congratulated India for the successful lunar landing of “Chandrayaan – 3″ and evinced interest for deeper cooperation between ISRO and Italian space agency, ASI,” the statement said.

    Before concluding his visit, EAM also held interaction with the Indian diaspora, the India-Italy Parliamentary Friendship Group and senior dignitaries of the Italian government.

    Jaishankar’s visit to Italy will help in further consolidating the long-standing historical ties between the two countries, and “pushed bilateral cooperation in diverse areas of our Strategic Partnership including on contemporary global issues and challenges.” (ANI)

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  • Jaishankar meets Italian Defence Minister

    Jaishankar meets Italian Defence Minister

    EAM Jaishankar met Italian Defence Minister Guido Crosetto and discussed strengthening the India-Italy defence partnership on Thursday...reports Asian Lite News

    External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar held a meeting with Italian Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani on Thursday and signed the Mobility and Migration Partnership Agreement and the Cultural Exchange Program.The two leaders held discussions on deepening the strategic partnership between the two countries as well as on the issues of the West Asia situation, the Ukraine conflict and the Indo-Pacific.”A comprehensive and productive meeting this evening with DPM and FM @Antonio_Tajani.

    Conversed about deepening our strategic partnership. Agreed that potential in agro-tech, innovation, space, defence and the digital domain should be explored,” Jaishankar posted on X (formerly Twitter).He added, “Spoke about the West Asia situation, Ukraine conflict and the Indo-Pacific landscape in detail. Appreciated Italy’s support for our initiatives and also for the G20 Presidency. Signed the Mobility and Migration Partnership Agreement and the Cultural Exchange Program at the end of our talks”. Earlier in the day, EAM Jaishankar met Italian Defence Minister Guido Crosetto and discussed strengthening the India-Italy defence partnership on Thursday.

    On Wednesday, Jaishankar also interacted with the Italian senate members as he began his official visit to Italy.Jaishankar also addressed the Joint Session of the Senate’s External Affairs and Defence Commission.During this, he characterized the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic followed by conflict in Ukraine on the global economy as “very traumatic” and predicted very “difficult and turbulent” times ahead.While referring to the escalation of the Israel-Hamas war, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said that while terrorism is “unacceptable”, there also needs to be a solution for the issue of Palestine.Prior to this, Jaishankar was in Portugal for two days, from October 31 to November 1.India and Italy enjoy friendly and cordial relations and multifaceted bilateral cooperation. The relationship was elevated to ‘Strategic Partnership’ during the state visit of the Prime Minister of Italy in March this year.Italy is among India’s top 5 trading partners in the EU. The balance of trade has been in India’s favour since the early eighties. The Indian community in Italy is the second largest community of Indians in Europe after the UK. (ANI)

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  • Italy bracing for flood risks in north, heatwaves in south

    Italy bracing for flood risks in north, heatwaves in south

    In the south, October saw unseasonal high temperatures surpassing 35 degrees Celsius on multiple occasions…reports Asian Lite News

    Italy has been bracing for the latest round of extreme weather, with heavy rains and potential flooding forecast for large parts of central and northern Italy. Meanwhile, high temperatures were predicted in the south.

    Italian civil protection officials on Wednesday said that two thunderstorm systems would be moving over the country this week, resulting in red alerts for flooding in the northeastern regions of Veneto and Friuli Venezia Giulia. Orange alerts have been issued across large parts of northwestern and central Italy, including Milan.

    The coming thunderstorms are likely to spark floods that could close roads, interrupt commercial and passenger sea transport, and damage crops. The forecast comes after several days of heavy rainfall over much of northern Italy.

    Additionally, the canal city of Venice has been repeatedly threatened by sea levels up to 1.54 meters above normal levels, but significant damage was averted due to the city’s high-tech flood barriers.

    In the south, October saw unseasonal high temperatures surpassing 35 degrees Celsius on multiple occasions. In Sicily, although October temperatures were cooler than the all-time high recorded in July and August, the averages in some parts of the island were nearly ten degrees higher than historical norms, local reports said.

    The weather in Sicily has also been unusually dry and multiple wildfires were reported this week, following widespread fires throughout the long and dry summer.

    Italian agricultural union Coldiretti said earlier this week that the high temperatures in August and the predicted thunderstorms were bad news for the agricultural sector. The olive harvest, which this year suffered from a one-third reduction due to the hot and dry summer, could see low production again next year due to the extreme weather in fall and winter.

    The agricultural group said that repeated bouts of unpredictable weather this year have reduced wheat production by a tenth, while cherry production was 60 percent lower than normal, and the honey harvest was 70 percent below last year’s levels.

    Over the last 18 months, Italy has suffered from a string of extreme weather events, ranging from record-high temperatures and drought in the summer months of 2022 and 2023, to wildfires, floods, landslides, hail and severe winds.

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  • IMF slashes forecast for Italy’s economic growth in 2023

    IMF slashes forecast for Italy’s economic growth in 2023

    The weaker economic growth model for Italy comes amid the release of mixed economic indicators…reports Asian Lite News

    The International Monetary Fund (IMF) said on Tuesday that it expects Italy’s gross domestic product to grow 0.7 percent this year, down from its previous estimate in May of 1.1 percent growth for 2023 as a whole.

    The IMF estimate for Italy is lower than that from the Italian government’s budget office and from the European Central Bank (ECB), which forecast Italy’s economy this year would grow 0.8 percent and 0.9 percent, respectively.

    The weaker economic growth model for Italy comes amid the release of mixed economic indicators.

    Also on Tuesday, Italy’s National Institute of Statistics (ISTAT) said that the country’s industrial production in August was down by 4.2 percent compared to the same month in 2022.

    Commercial activity was also lower in August, though employment levels strengthened over the same period, ISTAT said. Consumer price index in September were 5.3 percent higher than in the year-ago period.

    According to the IMF models, the slowdown will extend into 2024. It predicts a 0.7-percent growth for next year as well, down from 0.9 percent in its previous report. That estimate is weaker than ECB’s prediction of 0.8 percent next year.

    The Italian economy grew by 0.6 percent in the first quarter of this year compared with the previous quarter, more than the overall eurozone’s growth for the same period. But that relatively strong quarter was sandwiched between two quarters of negative economic growth.

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  • COP28 Chief Meets With Italian PM

    COP28 Chief Meets With Italian PM

    During the meeting, Dr. Sultan emphasized the urgency to achieve the goals of the Paris Agreement…reports Asian Lite News

    Italina Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and COP28 President Sultan Al Jaber met in Rome where they held discussions on delivering ambitious climate action outcomes at COP28. This builds on the UAE-Italy Declaration of Intent on enhancing cooperation within the COP28 and climate action, which was signed in March this year.

    During the meeting, the COP 28 President-Designate Dr. Sultan Al Jaber extended the best wishes of the President and Prime Minister of the UAE to the Prime Minister of Italy and the people of Italy. Dr. Sultan emphasized the urgency to achieve the goals of the Paris Agreement, ensuring that 1.5-degrees Celsius remains within reach. They discussed the importance of delivering on COP28’s Climate Action Agenda to help accelerate global decarbonization efforts.

    Dr. Al Jaber thanked Prime Minister Meloni for championing climate action, including scaling-up clean energy while decarbonizing the current energy system. The COP28 Presidency is advocating for the world to triple the world’s renewable energy capacity by 2030, while comprehensively eliminating emissions from all energy sources.

    Amidst the meeting, additional discussion was held on the importance of strengthening adaptation and resilience measures worldwide, including through investments in food and water security, health, nature-based solutions and the protection of natural ecosystems. Prime Minister Meloni and Dr. Al Jaber also discussed fixing global finance, which is urgently needed.

    “We reaffirm our commitment to strengthening the bilateral relationship between the UAE and Italy. Our collaborative efforts within the framework of COP28 and climate action are crucial in addressing the pressing challenges of climate change and building a sustainable future for all. Together, we can make a lasting impact on the global stage,” said Dr. Sultan Al Jaber.

    The leaders also discussed the importance of delivering the Global Stocktake to advance global climate action. Both noted that the Global Stocktake is critical towards addressing the issues and the solutions required in the global climate effort.

    Climate change

    The President of the Italian Council of Ministers, Giorgia Meloni, met today with Dr. Sultan bin Ahmed Al Jaber, Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology, President-Designate of the UN Conference on Climate Change (COP28).

    They agreed in a joint statement on how climate change constitutes a major challenge to our planet and humankind and requires a strong and ambitious action by all countries to strengthen their respective 2030 Nationally Determined Contributions across all dimensions and at much faster pace, with a view to achieving the long-term goals under the Paris Agreement.

    Prime Minister Meloni shared with Dr Al Jaber the urgency and the importance of accelerating global efforts to drive rapid progress on all elements of the climate change agenda while acknowledging the importance of driving forward decarbonization efforts, with a just transition, addressing its social and economic dimension and ensuring the creation of quality jobs.

    Meloni expressed her appreciation for the work that is being brought forward by the UAE and the leading role of Dr Al Jaber, its efforts towards a process that has as an objective to agree upon a clear roadmap in order to accelerate progress through a pragmatic global energy transition and a ‘leave no one behind’ approach and an inclusive climate action.

    The COP 28 will take place at Expo City Dubai from November 30th to December 12th and Italy will offer on the evening of December 1st in Dubai a concert of the world renowned “Teatro alla Scala Orchestra” celebrating the friendship between Italy and the United Arab Emirates while hopefully bringing inspiration to the delegates at the UN Conference on Climate Change.

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  • India, Italy Begin New Chapter in Defence Ties

    India, Italy Begin New Chapter in Defence Ties

    The discussions, which took place during the first leg of his visit to Italy and France, centered around an array of defence cooperation areas…reports Asian Lite News

    India’s Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, met with his Italian counterpart Guido Crosetto in Rome on Monday (October 9, 2023), initiating a new chapter in defence collaboration between the two nations. 

    The discussions, which took place during the first leg of his visit to Italy and France, centered around an array of defence cooperation areas, including training, information sharing, maritime exercises, and maritime security. But most prominently, the spotlight was on the vast opportunities for defence industrial cooperation.

    Singh, highlighting the potential of the emergent tech ecosystem in India, mooted for closer ties between Indian startups and established Italian defence companies. This proposition is seen as an avenue to infuse fresh innovation into the defence sectors of both nations.

    Subsequent to the deliberations, an “Agreement on Cooperation in the Field of Defence” was inked. This comprehensive pact covers a spectrum of collaborative areas:

    1. Security and Defence Policy: A commitment to working on joint strategic objectives and ensuring regional stability.
    2. Research & Development (R&D): Mutual collaboration on pioneering defence technology, emphasizing sustainable and futuristic solutions.
    3. Military Education: Enabling exchange programs and joint training sessions for military personnel to foster shared knowledge.
    4. Maritime Domain Awareness: A special focus on collaborative maritime operations and bolstering maritime security.
    5. Defence Information Sharing: An initiative to share vital defence intelligence, ensuring that both nations benefit from pooled resources.
    6. Industrial Cooperation: This extends to co-development, co-production, and even the establishment of joint ventures, thereby deepening industrial ties.

    Singh took to X (formerly Twitter) to express his satisfaction with the proceedings, stating, “Had a warm and productive meeting with the Italian Defence Minister Mr. Guido Crosetto in Rome. An Agreement on Defence Cooperation was also signed between India and Italy. We look forward to further consolidating our defence partnership.”

    The agreement also has clauses that could potentially see billions invested in joint ventures over the next decade, leveraging the industrial prowess of Italy and the rapidly expanding technological landscape of India.

    On a ceremonial note, Singh was accorded a Guard of Honour at Villa Madama. Indian Ambassador to Italy Neena Malhotra, alongside senior Italian functionaries, warmly received him upon his touchdown at Ciampino Airport.

    This meeting, a part of Singh’s European tour, is seen by analysts as a major step in India’s broader strategy to cultivate robust defence partnerships globally, positioning itself as both a key market and a contributor to global defence innovation. (India News Network)

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  • Rajnath to visit Italy, France to strengthen defence ties

    Rajnath to visit Italy, France to strengthen defence ties

    Officials said the potential for joint development of military platforms will be part of Mr Singh’s discussions both in Rome and Paris…reports Asian Lite News

    Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will pay a four-day visit to Italy and France beginning Monday to expand bilateral strategic engagement and explore industrial cooperation for joint development of military hardware.

    In the first leg of his two-nation tour, Singh will travel to Rome where he will hold wide-ranging talks with his Italian counterpart Guido Crisetto, according to the defence ministry. The relationship between India and Italy was elevated to the level of strategic partnership in March during the Italian prime minister’s visit to India.

    “Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will visit Italy and France from October 9 to 12, ” the ministry said.

    In Paris, Singh will attend the fifth annual India-France defence dialogue with his French counterpart Sebastian Lecornu.

    “India and France recently celebrated 25 years of strategic partnership. Both countries enjoy a deep and wide-ranging bilateral defence relationship, including significant industrial cooperation,” the defence ministry said in a statement.

    “In both Rome and Paris, the defence minister will also interact with the defence industry CEOs and senior representatives to discuss potential opportunities for industrial cooperation,” it said.

    Officials said the potential for joint development of military platforms will be part of Mr Singh’s discussions both in Rome and Paris.

    Meanwhile, Eric Trappier, the chairman and CEO of Dassault Aviation, is set to visit New Delhi this week to discuss various aspects of India’s proposed purchase of 26 naval variants of the Rafale aircraft, people familiar with the matter said.

    They said Trappier arrives in Delhi on Monday on a two-day trip to hold preliminary negotiations on the procurement. However, there is no official announcement on the visit by Dassault Aviation.

    The defence and strategic ties between India and France have been on an upswing in the last few years. In July, India and France announced a raft of ground-breaking defence cooperation projects including the joint development of jet and helicopter engines and construction of three Scorpene submarines for the Indian Navy.

    The two strategic partners also expressed commitment to cooperate in the co-development and co-production of advanced defence technologies, including for the benefit of third countries.

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  • India and Italy agree to fight terror, organised crime

    India and Italy agree to fight terror, organised crime

    The 4th meeting of the India-Italy Joint Working Group on Counter-Terrorism and Organised Crime was held at the Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India on Friday….reports Asian Lite News

    India and Italy have once again jointly condemned terrorism in all its forms and reaffirmed their commitment to a zero-tolerance, comprehensive approach to prevent and combat terrorism based on the rule of law, informed the Ministry of External Affairs.

    The 4th meeting of the India-Italy Joint Working Group on Counter-Terrorism and Organised Crime was held at the Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India on Friday.

    High-level Indian and Italian officials met to share views, assess domestic, regional and international terrorist threats and discuss bilateral and multilateral cooperation in fighting terrorism and transnational organised crime, the official release said.

    Joint Secretary for Counter-Terrorism in the Ministry of External Affairs KD Dewal and Deputy Director General for Political Affairs/Principal Director for Security at the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs Alessandro Azzoni, led their respective Inter-Departmental delegations.

    The two sides condemned terrorism in all its forms and manifestations and shared their experience in preventing and countering terrorism, violent extremism, radicalisation, cross-border terrorist travel and financing of terrorism, it added.

    They also recalled their support for a zero-tolerance, comprehensive approach to prevent and combat terrorism based on the rule of law and emphasized the importance of effective prosecution of those responsible for terrorist acts while condemning all forms of State-sponsored terrorism.

    The two delegations also exchanged views on cooperation at the multilateral fora, such as the UN, FATF and GCTF. They also expressed commitment to advance the ongoing negotiations on a number of bilateral agreements in the spheres of judicial and police cooperation. The meeting set the path for future joint training and capacity-building programs, the release said.

    Earlier, Union Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai said India is committed strongly to combating and uprooting organised crimes in all its manifestations.

    He was speaking at the two-day Ministerial Conference organised on September 29, by the Government of Italy and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crimes (UNDOC) Secretariat.

    Rai’s remarks came on the concluding day of the conference that marked the 20th anniversary of the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organised Crimes (UNTOC) at Palermo in Italy.

    Noting that organised crime signifies a major global threat, the MoS said such crimes cannot be seen in isolation.

    He mentioned that advances in technology have been leveraged by organised criminals to rapidly expand their networks.

    “This includes serious challenges posed by illicit trafficking in arms, drug trafficking, organized cyber-crimes, human trafficking, corruption, money laundering and international dispersal of proceeds of crime,” he said.

    He also mentioned that organized crime has emerged as one of the sources of terrorism and terror financing.

    Pointing that organised crime networks often have deep links with terrorist outfits and activities like money laundering and financial crimes have been known to help terror funding, the minister expressed hope that the deliberations during the Ministerial Conference will give impetus to the cause of strengthening international cooperation to combat organised crime.

    The next meeting of the joint working group will be held in Rome in 2024 on a mutually convenient date. (ANI)

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