Strengthening the Southern Flank: NATO Parliamentarians Examine Security and Migration in the Mediterranean

The threats posed by hostile actors in the Mediterranean, Eastern Europe and the High North are closely interconnected, highlighting the strategic significance of NATO’s 360-degree approach to security. Italy remains firmly committed to contributing to collective defence and promoting stability along the southern flank, in close cooperation with regional and international partners.

These were the main insights shared by a delegation of legislators from NATO member countries following their visit to Sicily and Lampedusa on 27–29 October 2025.

During the visit, high-level Italian, NATO and international officials, along with independent experts, briefed the delegation on the key challenges shaping the Mediterranean region – from security and climate change to migration and terrorism. Sicily’s vital role as a strategic bridge between the northern and southern shores of the Mediterranean was also underscored.

The delegation included 39 national legislators – members of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly (NATO PA) – from 15 Allied countries, as well as 4 parliamentarians from regional partners. 

Security dynamics in the Mediterranean and Italy’s contribution

The visit began with a series of briefings hosted by the Sicilian Regional Assembly in Palermo. Renato Schifani, President of the Region of Sicily, along with other regional and municipal representatives, emphasised that in an era of growing geopolitical rivalries and shifting power balances, Sicily’s strategic role had become increasingly significant.

Sicily stands at the crossroads of the challenges and opportunities that define the wider Mediterranean region. On one hand, the fragility of states in North Africa, the Middle East and particularly the Sahel, has created space for terrorist organisations and criminal networks to thrive, with serious repercussions for the entire Euro-Atlantic area.

Addressing the delegation, Javier Colomina, NATO Secretary General’s Special Representative for the Southern Neighbourhood, described the Sahel as undoubtedly the most fragile region in the world. He warned that this instability was being exploited by malign actors — notably Russia, through its Wagner/Africa Corps mercenaries; China, through opaque investment practices; and both powers, through anti-Western cognitive warfare. Speakers also pointed to the ongoing conflicts in the Middle East and instability in the Red Sea as further sources of tension along the eastern Mediterranean. 

Italian officials cautioned that if Euro-Atlantic Allies failed to devote sufficient attention to the southern flank, these malign actors would continue to expand their influence in the region. 

On the other hand, the Mediterranean region also offers significant opportunities for mutually beneficial cooperation between its northern and southern shores. Africa’s vast natural resources and growing demographic potential make it a key partner for sustainable development and shared prosperity. Italian officials emphasised that the country did not view the Mediterranean as a space of division and conflict, but rather as a common area for dialogue and cooperation. This vision is embodied in Italy’s 2024 Mattei Plan, which seeks to strengthen collaboration with Africa through a new model of equitable development and partnership.

Special Representative Javier Colomina noted that NATO shared the view that challenges along the eastern and southern flanks are deeply interconnected. NATO's 2022 Strategic Concept reaffirmed the importance of the southern flank, while the 2024 Southern Neighbourhood Action Plan provides a concrete roadmap for cooperation. NATO’s engagement instruments — including the Mediterranean Dialogue, the Istanbul Cooperation Initiative, NATO Mission Iraq and the newly established Liaison Office in Jordan — form a comprehensive framework for practical, results-oriented collaboration.

Through its capacity-building assistance, NATO is helping southern partners enhance their ability to act as providers of regional security. Mr Colomina also underscored NATO’s close collaboration with other international organisations, including the European Union, the African Union and the Gulf Cooperation Council. He stressed that the Southern Allies constitute NATO’s first line of defence against threats emanating from the south — threats increasingly exacerbated by Russian and Chinese influence. In this context, he highlighted the need for urgent, increased investment in defence and deterrence, in line with the historic decisions taken at the Hague Summit.

NATO Parliamentarians observed first-hand examples of Italy’s contribution to collective defence on the southern flank during their visit to the Trapani-Birgi Air Force Base, home to the 37th Wing of the Italian Air Force. The 37th Wing is primarily responsible for safeguarding regional airspace and supporting multinational operations, including the enforcement of the no-fly zone over Libya in 2011. Its principal assets are advanced, swing-role Eurofighter Typhoon aircraft, capable of conducting air-to-air and air-to-ground missions simultaneously. Since 1986, Trapani-Birgi Air Force Base has also served as one of NATO’s Forward Operating Bases for the Alliance’s jointly owned E-3A AWACS surveillance aircraft. Looking ahead, by 2028 the base is set to host a joint training programme for F-35 fighter pilots, developed in cooperation with the United States, further strengthening transatlantic defence ties and NATO’s operational readiness in the region.

Migration challenges

Migration along the central Mediterranean route remains both substantial and perilous, underscoring the continued need for close cooperation and dialogue with countries of origin and transit. In 2025 alone, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) has recorded approximately 65,000 arrivals via this maritime corridor. Although this figure is stable – and even slightly lower than in 2023–2024 – it remains considerable and continues to place significant pressure on Italy’s infrastructure and institutions. The central Mediterranean route remains extremely perilous, claiming hundreds of lives each year. At present, the majority of asylum seekers travelling it originate from Bangladesh, followed by Egypt and Eritrea.

The NATO PA delegation travelled to the island of Lampedusa, a key entry point for migrants along the central Mediterranean route. With a resident population of around 6,000 only, the island is under immense strain, bearing a disproportionate share of responsibility for broader European security. Italian local and national authorities have consistently appealed for greater solidarity, support and burden-sharing from their European partners.

Italy has adopted a sustainable and comprehensive approach to managing migration flows — one that moves beyond an emergency-driven model. This approach prioritises the protection of human life and dignity, the swift processing of asylum applications, comprehensive security screening and close cooperation among Italian regions, national law enforcement agencies, European and international institutions and volunteer organisations. During their visit, NATO parliamentarians were shown the Contrada Imbriacola hotspot (Migrant Reception Centre) in Lampedusa — a key facility supporting these coordinated efforts.

The impact of climate change

Italian experts informed NATO parliamentarians that climate change is disproportionately affecting the Mediterranean region, highlighting the urgent need to meet national climate commitments and adapt critical infrastructure. The region is already facing more frequent and intense droughts, floods and heatwaves – such as the Cerberus heatwave in July 2023 – with direct consequences for agriculture, public health and energy demand. Rising sea levels are causing coastal erosion and increased flooding, while recent extreme weather events in Sicily and across Italy illustrate how climate change is already placing severe pressure on infrastructure and daily life.

Experts further warned that rising sea temperatures, ocean acidification and the spread of invasive species are threatening biodiversity and the services essential for food security, economic activity and social stability throughout the Mediterranean. They urged policymakers to promote “blue carbon” and nature-based solutions, including the restoration of marine ecosystems and coastal barriers, in line with relevant EU legislation.

Delegates also learned that extreme weather events — including floods, heatwaves and storms — pose growing risks to airports, roads and energy networks across the region. These developments, experts stressed, underscore the need for integrated, science-based adaptation strategies that connect environmental protection with economic resilience and social stability.

Fighting terrorism and organised crime

NATO parliamentarians were briefed on Italy’s counterterrorism efforts, in a context where regional instability – from the conflict in Gaza to situation in the Sahel and Afghanistan – fuels radicalisation and criminal infiltration, with younger individuals increasingly involved. Italian law enforcement officers highlighted the need for stronger border controls, biometric data use and continued monitoring in Africa and the Balkans. They stressed that criminal organisations have evolved into transnational networks that exploit conflict and fragility, with mafias forming alliances for drug and human trafficking, money laundering and environmental crimes. Italian law enforcement agencies collaborate among themselves and with international partners such as Europol in dismantling major criminal networks and seizing their assets. A representative of the Guardia di Finanza stressed the Mediterranean’s sensitivity to illicit trade and financial flows linked to terrorism, underscoring the importance of intelligence-sharing and international cooperation with agencies like Frontex and Eurojust to combat smuggling, trafficking and terror financing effectively.

The parliamentary delegation consisted of members of three NATO PA bodies: the Committee on Democracy and Security (CDS), the Sub-Committee on NATO Partnerships (PCNP) and the Mediterranean and Middle East Special Group (GSM). The delegation was co-led by CDS Chair Javier Maroto (Spain), PCNP Chair Lorenzo Cesa (Italy) and GSM Chair Giangiacomo Calovini (Italy) as well as the President of the NATO PA, Marcos Perestrello (Portugal).

The NATO Parliamentary Assembly is institutionally separate from NATO but serves as an essential link between NATO and the parliaments of the NATO nations. It provides greater transparency of NATO policies and fosters better understanding of the Alliance’s objectives and missions among legislators and citizens of the Alliance.  

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Photos © 37° Stormo di Trapani Birgi and © Italian Guardia di Finanza