On monday, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni announced it’s new partnership with Africa. The plan was revealed during a one-day summit attended by over two dozen African leaders and European Union officials.
Meloni, during her address, outlined a comprehensive set of initiatives, committing an initial 5.5 billion euros ($5.95 billion) with state guarantees. While describing the summit as successful, she emphasized the potential for cooperation, particularly in the energy sector.
“We are only at the beginning; there is a very long road ahead of us. This day is a restart,” Meloni stated in her closing remarks.
However, not all voices were harmonious at the summit. Moussa Faki Mahamat, Chairman of the African Union Commission, expressed a desire for prior consultation on priorities and stressed the importance of turning commitments into tangible actions.
“I want to insist here on the need to move from words to actions. We can no longer be satisfied with mere promises that are often not kept,” Mahamat asserted.
Meloni, in a post-summit news conference, acknowledged the crucial step of ensuring the initiation of projects that would make a real impact on the ground.
Despite Italy’s substantial debt, critics have questioned its ability to compete with global players like China, Russia, and Gulf states, who are intensifying their presence in Africa, rich in natural resources.
While Rome claims ownership of the plan, named after the late Enrico Mattei, founder of state oil company Eni, Meloni highlighted collaboration with the private sector and international bodies like the European Union.
Central to the initiative are energy needs, as Italy seeks to serve as a gateway for African natural gas into European markets. The recent geopolitical concerns arising from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine have made diversification of energy supplies a priority for the EU.
Italy’s largest natural gas importer, Eni, has already increased shipments from Africa, relying on Algeria, Egypt, and Libya as main gas suppliers in the coming years.
In her tenure since 2022, Meloni has prioritized the Mattei plan as a key component of Italy’s foreign policy. A crucial aspect of the plan is to bolster industry and agriculture in Africa, aiming to strengthen local economies and dissuade young Africans from migrating north.
Addressing the persistent challenge of mass immigration, Meloni declared, “Mass immigration will never be stopped, human traffickers will never be defeated if we do not address the many causes that push a person to leave their home.” The Italian leader emphasized the comprehensive approach her government intends to take to address the root causes of migration.
