Author: Giovanni Luchetti – 13/12/2024
The Sea: A Pillar of National Interest
Giovanni Luchetti, Regional Director EMEA at The Intelligent Investor – Authorized Representative of TIME Magazine
As highlighted by many sources, the recovery of the Italian economy following the severe recession caused by the pandemic largely depends on exports. Italy’s increasing integration into global trade, on which the future of our economy depends, must become a priority for future Italian governments. Therefore, all necessary actions must be taken to promote the free flow of goods, revitalize multilateralism and the role of the WTO, and encourage European efforts to negotiate new trade agreements. A global trade system characterized by reduced risks and shared international rules would provide an ideal scenario for Italian businesses to capture the potential demand for “Made in Italy” products from all parts of the world.
Due to its geographical position and international role, Italy cannot limit its area of interest to its “backyard,” setting narrow boundaries between Gorizia and the central Mediterranean, beyond which it would be deemed inconvenient to venture. This was the mindset of the 1960s and 1970s during the Cold War, characterized by “compartmentalized” thinking and clearly defined spheres of interest. Today, the fluidity of international scenarios and intensifying competition require Rome to adopt a new perspective, extending its gaze even to distant seas like the Indian Ocean.
Over 80% of global commercial traffic moves by sea, and 75% passes through international straits and canals. The sea, therefore, is both a privileged communication route and a source and site of conflicts. Consider the political instability of many nations traversed by canals or controlling the straits. Seven of the nine most crucial access points to global trade routes are located in the Indian Ocean: the Suez Canal, the Strait of Hormuz, the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, the Cape of Good Hope, the Strait of Malacca, the Sunda Strait, and the Lombok Strait. For Rome, Suez, Bab el-Mandeb, Hormuz, and the Cape of Good Hope are of vital importance, and ensuring freedom of navigation through a constant presence—whether military or political-diplomatic—is crucial. Securing these routes is the primary guarantee for Italy to remain a strategic hub for international trade. Moreover, it is a critical tool in the hands of Italian economic diplomacy to assert its viewpoint at key global forums.
Thus, to define Italy’s strategic necessities and the focal points of its global presence—and subsequently align the necessary resources with this strategic vision—I would like to highlight how the interest in the sea aligns with national interest. I draw attention particularly to two fundamental strategic necessities:
- The Role of the Navy and the Protection of Sea Lines of Communication (SLOC)
We are experiencing a historical phase where the strategic importance of the sea is significantly heightened. Global powers like the United States, China, and Russia, as well as regional actors such as the Gulf Cooperation Council countries, Iran, Egypt, and Turkey, are currently engaged in a race to acquire control over the Sea Lines of Communication (SLOC). These are essential for projecting military forces, safeguarding economic interests, and deterring instability phenomena such as piracy, illicit trafficking, jihadist movements, and terrorism in general. Italy, I believe, should advocate at the European and international levels for the creation of maritime governance and promote an institutional framework for Italian and European maritime affairs. Analyzing maritime military scenarios in the Mediterranean, the Persian Gulf, and the Pacific, we are witnessing a widespread strengthening of naval capabilities and significant investments in the naval and underwater defense industries. Hence, the Italian Navy assumes a central role. To rise to the challenges ahead, it must address operational issues, including personnel numbers and specialized training.
- Developing a Mediterranean Awareness: A Challenge for the Italian Education System
Italian schools and universities exhibit a glaring lack of curriculum content related to the sea. Neither school textbooks nor university courses devote sufficient attention to the immense reservoir of productivity and opportunities that the Mediterranean represents. It is now essential to initiate an educational process that fosters awareness of the opportunities tied to the sea, beyond just tourism. Teaching a “pedagogy of the sea” is a challenging path but one that must be pursued. This involves engaging schools, universities, mass media, and research institutions, channeling interests and resources toward a single goal: promoting knowledge of Italy’s maritime traditions to educate citizens to seize opportunities for economic and cultural development. Reviving and cultivating a Mediterranean consciousness among Italian citizens—highlighting Italy’s role as a frontier between three continents (Asia, Africa, and Europe)—is a national interest. The Mediterranean is not only the Mare Nostrum of the Romans but, above all, Europe’s gateway to the world, governing much of its relations with Africa and Asia. Without the Mediterranean, there would be no Europe. Without the Mediterranean, Europe would merely be a peninsula of Asia.
Conclusion
In my view, to defend its national interest, Italy must strive to strengthen its presence in European and international geopolitics, drawing from its historical Mediterranean experience—not to rest on its laurels, but to build and promote a Mediterranean-oriented Europe. Italy must prioritize this shared Euro-Mediterranean vision. By tradition and culture, we are fully equipped to do so.