(Finance) – With 169 votes in favor and 119 against, the Chamber definitively approved the decree law Mattei Plan for the development of states on the African continent. Since no changes have been made compared to the text approved by the Senate, the decree is converted into law.
A strategic plan for the construction of a new partnership between Italy and the states of the African continent, aimed at promoting sustainable and long-lasting development: this is the objective of the Plan whose governance is defined in the legislative decree which was, in fact, definitively approved from the House. An “empty box”, according to the opposition, which would not provide resources and concrete projects for investments. A Plan that will be filled with contents, reply the government and the majority, which will be defined in collaboration between Italy and African countries, starting from what emerges from the Italy-Africa Conference at the end of January.
The Mattei Plan, which lasts four years and can also be updated prior to its expiry, is adopted with a decree of the President of the Council of Ministers following the opinion of the competent parliamentary commissions which must express their opinion within thirty days, a provision inserted during the process in the Senate. The areas of intervention and the priorities of the Planit is written in the decree, concern development cooperation, the promotion of exports and investments, education and training, research and innovation, health, food safety, the sustainable exploitation of natural resources, the modernization and strengthening of infrastructures, including digital ones, partnerships in the aerospace and energy sectors, renewable sources and the economy circular.
To coordinate the activities, the Control Room for the Mattei Plan was established, chaired by the Prime Minister and composed of the Minister of Foreign Affairs (vice-president), the other ministers, the president of the Conference of the Regions, the director of the Italian Agency for development cooperation, by the president of ICE, by representatives of Cdp, Sace and Simest. In order to support the activities connected to the Mattei Plan and the works of Control room, is established from 1? December 2023, a specific mission structure at the Presidency of the Council of Ministers, with expected costs of 235,077 euros for 2023 and 2.8 million euros per year starting from 2024. By 30 June of each year the government transmits to the Chamber a report on the implementation of the Plan