(Finance) – Training new professionals of renewable and of infrastructure electrical on the African continent and support the food supply chain biofuels in Kenya: these are the two objectives of as many projects supported by Piano Mattei for Africa. Their developments were discussed on the third day of Ecomondo, on the occasion of the 2024 edition of the “Africa Green Growth Forum”, organized by Ecoworld and from Ministry of the Environment and Energy Securityin collaboration with the Mission Structure of the Presidency of the Council of Ministers for the Mattei Plan. The event also brought to light new opportunities for cooperation in the sectors of the circular economy that can involve Italy with the African continent.
Several interlocutors national And international present, involved in various capacities in the implementation of the projects. In addition to the representatives of Ecomondo, MASE and the Mission Structure for the implementation of the Mattei Plan of the Presidency of the Council, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, the Embassy of Morocco, Cassa Depositi e Prestiti participated as partners financial institution of the Plan and manager of the Italian Climate Fund to support climate mitigation and adaptation initiatives. Present at the meeting were the Enel and Eni groups, which implement local projects within the framework of the Mattei Plan, and representatives of the RES4Africa Foundation, which organizes “training” to train new professionals in the energy sector.
In the initial phase of interventions institutionalmoderated by the Chief Technical Secretariat of the Minister of the Environment and Energy Security Francesca Salvemini and opened by the CEO of Italian Exhibition Group Corrado Perabonibrought their contribution in terms of a general vision by Fabio Massimo Ballerini, Advisor for Sub-Saharan Africa of the Office of the Diplomatic Advisor to the President of the Council of Ministers, Alessandra Pastorelli (General Directorate for the Promotion of the Country System, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation), the Head of the General Administration, Planning and Natural Heritage Department of MASE Loredana Gulino and the Minister Plenipotentiary of the Moroccan Embassy in Italy, Khalid Atlassi. Two introductory speeches by Antonio Montanari (Vice President CONFINDUSTRIA ASSAFRICA & MEDITERRANEO) and Paolo Cutrone (Area Manager of RES4Africa Foundation) opened the thematic work sessions.
The Mattei Plan is supporting the constitution in Morocco of a Center of Excellence for training in the renewables and energy efficiency sector, aimed at the entire African continent. The Center will train experts, administrators and technicians in the renewables and electrical infrastructure sectors, promoting sustainable energy development in the spirit of the Mattei Plan through the strengthening of managerial and professional skills “on site”.
The functioning and advancements of the projectdeveloped under the aegis of the Italian and Moroccan governments, were exhibited by the Managing Director of the Enel Foundation Julia Genuardifrom Abdessamad Faik of the Mohammed VI Polytechnic University, by Mirco Torquati (Commercial Manager of large-scale systems of 3SUN Gigafactory) and by Simon PasquiniArea Manager Africa of CESI SpA. They also spoke Mouhcine BenmezianeHead of the Cooperation, Monitoring and Communication Department of IRESEN (Morocco) e Sharon Wachuka KinyuaMember of the Board of Directors of the Energy and Mining Sector of ESAK (Kenya).
In Kenyahowever, the Mattei Plan supports through a loan of Italian Climate Fund the development of the biofuels supply chain, through the production of vegetable oil, to be used as a raw material for biorefineries: we start from crops on degraded or abandoned land, from second harvest crops, not in competition but in synergy with agricultural food production. The project also involves the valorisation of forestry and agro-industrial waste and residues, supporting circular economy processes.
Characterized by a strong socio-economic value, the initiative already involves beyond 100,000 small local farmers in 16 counties, with the aim of reaching 200,000 in the next few years, ensuring the creation of rural income, market access for farmers, the recovery of marginal areas and, at the same time, contributing to global decarbonisation in transport through production of advanced biofuels. The Director of CCUS, Forestry & Agri-Feedstock of Eni discussed it Louis Ciarrocchi, Francis Masera of Cassa Depositi e Prestiti (Head of Business Promotion, Governance and Partnership, International Development Cooperation) and Laetitia Dumas of the International Labor Organization (Team management program and operations, occupational safety and health branch). Video contributions were also shown with direct testimonies from the beneficiaries of the project in Kenya.
In the second session of the conference, moderated by the President of the Ecomondo Scientific Technical Committee Fabio Favasome “case histories” have been developed by CONFINDUSTRIA ASSAFRICA & MEDITERRANEO and through the contribution of companies and business consortia, which can represent examples for future prospects of cooperation in the sectors of the circular economy, applied to the textile sectors, of WEEE, packaging and bioenergy.