Watch: 52 Meloni meets 68 Mozambique president, her stunned reaction goes viral

New Delhi: Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's meeting with Mozambican President Daniel Chapo in Rome last week went viral after videos showing her reaction to the visible height difference between the two leaders during their official greeting was widely shared on social media.

As cameras rolled at the Italian government headquarters, Palazzo Chigi, Meloni stepped forward to welcome Chapo and appeared momentarily surprised, looking up at him before breaking into a smile. At one point, she was also seen muttering a remark, her expression reflecting disbelief as the two posed for photographs.

Chapo, 48, is reported to be around 6 feet 8 inches tall, while Meloni stands approximately 5 feet 2 inches. Even photographers had to crouch to frame both leaders in a single shot.

Footages of the meeting quickly went viral with netizens having a field day sharing memes and commentary focused on Meloni's spontaneous reaction and a particular unique challenge faced by photographers.

According to reports, the meeting focussed on energy, trade and development cooperation under Italy's Mattei Plan for Africa. In a statement issued after the talks, the Italian government said the meeting marked the 50th anniversary of Mozambique's independence and the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries.

The two leaders discussed cooperation in areas ranging from access to energy and sustainable agriculture to vocational training, digitalisation and healthcare. They also agreed to deepen trade ties, highlighting the complementarity of their economies and the role of Italian energy major ENI in Mozambique's liquefied natural gas sector.