The Italy-Africa Summit takes place this January 29, 2024 in Rome. This Monday morning, the head of the Italian government presented in broad terms the objectives of her “Mattei Plan” for Africa. Georgia Meloni says she wants to write “ a new page » in relations with the continent, with an approach “ non-predatory “. Details.
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With our special correspondent in Rome, Liza Fabbian
The top Italy–Africa began on January 29, 2024 in Rome. Around twenty African heads of state and government posed for the traditional family photo, alongside representatives of theEuropean Union (EU) who are also present on site.
This Monday morning, the head of the Italian government presented in broad terms the objectives of her “Mattei Plan” for Africa.
The program revealed by Georgia Meloni is ambitious since it involves, according to her, writing “ a new page » in relations with Africa, with an approach “ non-predatory » and full of “ compassion “. These are the words she used this morning from the podium.
The President of the Italian Council of Ministers insisted at length on the “ potential » of the continent: human potential, agricultural potential, but also energy. Resources that Italy intends to take advantage of. The idea is to link the future of the country to that of the continent.
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Georgia Meloni who wants to make Italy a “ bridge » between Europe and Africa, a “ hub » energy through which African resources could transit in the future.
The question of development is not left aside: Georgia Meloni listed certain investment projects in Africa, focusing for example on access to drinking water in Congo-Brazzaville or in Ethiopia and on projects for access to education and training in Morocco or Tunisia. The objective is also to combat human trafficking and therefore enable partner countries to better control the irregular emigration of their citizens to Europe.
There remains the question of funding to implement this great “Mattei Plan”: today, the available budget is “ insufficient “, she admitted. The Italian Prime Minister appeals to international financial institutions and the EU. The head of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) Kristalina Georgieva is in Rome today, as is the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen.
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