Italy and Turkey have signed a new agreement to work more closely together to stop irregular migration, especially from Libya. The deal focuses on fighting human trafficking and organized crime while also trying to bring more stability to the Mediterranean region. This comes just weeks after Greece also strengthened its own cooperation with Libya to block migrant departures.
Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani and Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan signed what they called an “operational document” in Rome on September 11, 2025. The agreement will see Italy and Turkey’s coast guards work together more closely to stop smuggling operations. Tajani explained that the deal will be “very useful in Libya” as it aims to prevent irregular migrant boats from leaving for Europe.
Tajani added that the cooperation will also involve training law enforcement agencies to track down and dismantle criminal networks that profit from migration across the Mediterranean. Both countries highlighted that the growing number of migrants leaving Libya has made it necessary for stronger cooperation. Libya has become a key transit country for thousands of migrants who hope to reach Europe each year, despite the risks of the dangerous sea crossing.
Turkey’s Foreign Minister Fidan described the deal as a step toward building a stronger “strategic partnership” between Turkey and Italy. He also stressed the need for a political process in Libya to help stabilize the country, which is currently divided between two rival governments—one based in Tripoli and the other in Benghazi under the control of military commander Khalifa Haftar.
The new deal also comes after Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan hosted a mini-summit in Istanbul in August. The summit focused on migration and Libya’s future, with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and Libya’s Prime Minister Abdelhamid Dbeiba in attendance. However, Haftar did not attend.
Italy already plays an important role in the EU-Turkey deal, first signed in 2016, where the EU gave Turkey billions of euros to stop irregular migrants from reaching Europe. The new agreement between Italy and Turkey now looks to extend that cooperation to cover Libya as well.
According to the Italian foreign ministry, both countries will consider joint training programs for law enforcement officers and more cooperation in investigations linked to migrant smuggling and human trafficking. The goal is to create a stronger, coordinated response that follows international standards.
This new partnership shows how European countries are increasingly working with Turkey and Libya to reduce migration flows across the Mediterranean. But it also raises questions: Can these deals really reduce irregular migration, or do they risk pushing desperate people into even more dangerous routes?