US Secretary of State in Rome for anti-Daesh conference

Antony Blinken and Luigi Di Maio

  ROME - The U.S. Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, was in Rome on Monday for the Plenary Ministerial meeting of the Global Coalition to Defeat Daesh, co-chaired this year by the U.S. and Italy.  

  Speaking at the Coalition, to its 83 Member States, he said, he praised the organisation’s critical work in the “territorial defeat” of Daesh in Iraq and Syria, but added that, “ensuring the enduring defeat of Isis also means effectively confronting Isis threats outside of Iraq and Syria, in places where Isis has recently focused its efforts,” including, “counties on the front-lines of the Isis threat in Africa.”

  He continued, “Let’s use today’s discussion to try and expand on coalition plans for effective dealing with the threat in Africa,” calling for stabilisation assistance in Iraq and Syria, “to ensure that Isis does not have a resurgence in these countries.”

  Luigi Di Maio, Italian Foreign Minister, speaking at the same meeting, said, “even if the Daesh threat in Iraq and Syria remains central to the Coalition’s task, we cannot avoid tackling its global ramifications especially in the African continent, and specifically in Sahel who’s stability is crucial for Europe and the broader Mediterranean.

   "Daesh has been defeated in its territorial dimension, but it has not been eradicated, That is why Italy, with over 800 units deployed between Iraq and Kuwait, will continue to maintain in Iraq, while respecting Iraqi sovereignty and in full agreement with Baghdad, a significant military contingent with the aim of making the country able to address the threat autonomously.

  "Precisely because of the significance gained by Daesh's threat in Africa today," he said, "I propose to the partners of the Coalition to examine the possibility of setting up a Working Group dedicated to Africa, to face the issues in their entirety, beyond the thematic Working Groups already existing. A Group that valorises to the best the participation of African Countries interested in providing their contribution." United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the global coalition fighting ISIS had achieved "significant results" that "reflect what you can achieve together".

  Di Maio also added that the summit highlighted the fact that Italy “are back as protagonists.” 

  During his visit to Rome, Blinken also met with Pope Francis in a private audience in the Apostolic Palace. The Holy See’s press officer, Matteo Bruni, said the meeting “was held in a friendly atmosphere. It lasted about 40 minutes and was an opportunity for the Pope to recall the trip he made in 2015 and to express his affection and attention to the people of the United States of America.”

 

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