Welcome to a new edition of the TRENDS Med-MENA Nexus Monthly Report, the analytical platform from TRENDS Research & Advisory dedicated to unpacking how Italy and Southern Europe are reshaping their strategic engagement with the Mediterranean, the Gulf, and beyond.
As 2026 opens, the strategic space linking the Mediterranean, the Gulf and the wider Middle East is entering a phase defined less by announcements and more by execution. Over the past year, Southern Europe—and Italy in particular—has moved beyond reactive engagement, positioning itself as an active connector across energy, defense-industrial cooperation and advanced technology ecosystems. What is emerging is not a single grand strategy, but a set of converging pathways that tie European capabilities to Gulf capital, production depth and geopolitical reach.
Taking stock of Italy’s recent strategic posture toward the Gulf, it is evident that traditional economic engagement has been complemented with more recent geopolitical outreach. In December 2025, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s attendance at the 46th GCC Summit in Bahrain signaled a shift from primarily bilateral ties with individual Gulf states to a regional approach engaging the GCC as a whole. The two sides agreed to work towards the establishment of a comprehensive Italy – GCC strategic partnership aimed at enhancing their shared interests.
