Argentina’s president, Italy’s premier discuss business partnerships

By Giovanni Legorano

ROME (AA) – Italy’s Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni spoke about business partnerships with Javier Milei Monday, as the Argentinian president seeks support for his country, which is mired in its worst economic crisis in decades.

“A positive meeting in which we talked about the development of new partnerships in key sectors for our economies such as energy, infrastructure and food,” Meloni said on X after meeting Milei in Rome.

“Italy and Argentina have deep historic and cultural ties which we wish can turn into renewed cooperation in many sectors,” she added.

The recently elected president is on a state tour of Italy and the Vatican, after having visited Israel.

His country is facing a severe economic crisis, with inflation running at over 200%.

Known as a maverick right-wing libertarian, he has recently tried to push through a wide-ranging economic reform package, which included provisions needed for the privatization of state entities, give the president greater powers, and change hundreds of regulations.

However, parliament rejected the reforms, leaving him weighing ways to salvage the reform, which he argues is needed to rescue the Argentinian economy.

In a previous meeting with Vatican officials, Milei discussed his economic program, as he seeks to shore up public support for his presidency in a mainly Catholic country.​​​​​​​