Rome-November 2026
The Coalition for Global Prosperity facilitated a cross-party delegation of British Parliamentarians to Rome, including Steve Race MP, Jerome Mayhew MP, Rebecca Smith MP and our chair, Rt Hon Dame Penny Mordaunt, to see first-hand how one of the UK’s closest European allies is tackling defence, security, migration and development challenges.
At the British Embassy, discussions covered defence, trade, migration and Italian domestic politics, and the delegation was grateful to hear from Stephen Hickey CMG, UK Ambassador to Italy, on the importance of the UK–Italian partnership.
Ahead of National Unity and Armed Forces Day, the Italian Ministry of Defence hosted the delegation at the Defence Village in the Circus Maximus. Meeting officials from the Navy, Air Force, Army and Carabinieri, the delegation were shown some of Italy’s latest defence technology, from an AI-enabled humanoid robot, to Leonardo’s new attack helicopter. They gained insight into how government, industry and European partners are working together on resilience, and the critical role the Italian Armed Forces play within NATO.
Tammy Sandhu MBE, UK Ambassador to the Holy See, led a fascinating discussion of the UK–Holy See relationship, which rests not on economic ties but on international cooperation and the Church’s moral leadership on global challenges. The delegation discussed the Catholic Church’s role in international development, its support for refugees around the world and its part in multilateral diplomacy, on issues ranging from the regulation of AI to forced displacement and violence against women and girls.
At the General Audience, the delegation heard Pope Leo speak on politics as the pursuit of the common good. He described war as a failure of politics and of humanity, and called for politics to heal wounds and address injustice as the path to peace.
The war in Ukraine, cyber resilience and hybrid threats were high on the agenda in the Italian Parliament. Senator Maurizio Gasparri, President of the Senate’s Foreign Affairs and Defence Committee, discussed the Committee’s work and the opportunities for European and international cooperation. In the Chamber of Deputies, the delegation met Vice President Hon. Giorgio Mulè and Hon. Lia Quartapelle of the Foreign and Community Affairs Committee, after Hon. Giulio Sottanelli kindly hosted a tour of the Italian parliament and its exhibition marking the 80th anniversary of the Republic. The delegation also witnessed a lively debate in the Chamber itself, noting the differences and similarities with activity in the House of Commons.
The delegation met with Vatican-based humanitarian organisations, Caritas Internationalis, the umbrella organisation for the world’s catholic aid agencies, and the World Union of Catholic Women’s Organisation who support grassroots women’s organisations worldwide. These meetings provided an overview of emergency relief that aid organisations provide, and long-term support addressing violence against women and girls, including migrants and refugees.
Migration was a recurring theme throughout the visit. The International Organization for Migration (IOM) set out its work in Italy, from border management and protection for vulnerable migrants to labour mobility, youth employment, and return and integration. They provided a comprehensive overview of the shifting trends in migration to Italy, including a breakdown of push and pull factors, and evolving routes.
The delegation also received a briefing from Matthew Hollingworth, who leads on operations for the World Food Programme. He described the severity of famine hotspots across the world, the impact of conflict, and the implications of reductions in aid from the US and other traditional donors. It was a sobering picture, which led the delegation to have a serious discussion on the links between geopolitics, war and humanitarian need.
Finally, at the Prime Minister’s office, meetings focused on the implementation of the Mattei Plan, Italy’s flagship foreign policy and investment strategy for Africa. Discussions with Pietro Sferra Carini, Deputy Diplomatic Advisor to the Prime Minister, and Lorenzo Ortona, Deputy National Coordinator for the Implementation of the Mattei Plan focused on the innovation of the Plan, notably the Prime Ministerial attention to the strategy and the importance of strong diplomatic relations with partner countries.
The UK and Italy face an increasingly complex range of security threats, from Russian aggression, hybrid threats, to illegal migration. The visit underlined the importance of working closely with like-minded partners to strengthen the UK’s security, resilience and prosperity.
