The second Italy-Africa Summit is taking place in Addis Ababa, with the Mattei Plan at its centre. The Prime Minister was also present and will participate as a guest of honor in the African Union plenary tomorrow
Energy, agri-food, innovation and training. These are just some of the topics covered today Italy-Africa summittaking place in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa, in the presence of the Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. An opportunity to take stock of the Mattei Plan for Africa.
The summit
The Italy-Africa summit represents the second appointment after the first meeting took place in January 2024 in Rome. For the first time hosted on African soil, at the Convention Center, the meeting sees Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni preside over a fundamental operational “coupon” of the Mattei Planapproximately two years after its launch.
The works were inaugurated by the speeches of the Italian Prime Minister and the Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali, will also see the participation of the leaders of the African Union (AU), including the President of the Commission Mohammed Ali Youssouf and the President of the AU Joao Lourenço (also President of Angola).
The Secretary General of the United Nations also participates Antonio Guterres and the Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbasdemonstrating the international relevance of the initiative.
The choice of Addis Ababa, the continental diplomatic headquarters, reaffirms Italy’s desire to actively involve the 14 partner countries in a vision of integrated development, addressing the challenges of economic growth, regional stability and international security.
Energy corridors
Energy represents the central pillar of the Italian strategy for Africawith the ambition of transforming Italy into a Euro-Mediterranean energy hub. Among the major projects discussed, the electrical interconnection stands out ELMED between Italy and Tunisia, an 850 million euro project that will carry out the first direct current connection between Europe and North Africa.
The power line, 220 kilometers long (of which 200 are underwater through the Strait of Sicily), will connect the Partanna station in Sicily with that of Mlaabi on the Tunisian peninsula of Cape Bon, with a capacity of 600 MW.
Of the total value, 307 million euros come from the European Commission through the programme Connecting Europe Facilitymarking the first time that the EU co-finances an infrastructure jointly developed by a Member State and a third country.
The development of the photovoltaic system continues in Egypt Abydos II 1 GW with storage systems, while in Kenya a 150 million euro loan for climate strategies and energy transition has been confirmed.
Then there is the Lobito corridorwhich crosses Angola, Zambia and the Democratic Republic of Congo and represents a strategic infrastructure project for the transport of critical minerals and strengthening regional connections.
Food sovereignty, training and digital innovation
Alongside energy issues, the Addis Ababa summit focuses on food security and the valorisation of human capital.
In Senegal, Italy promoted co-financing from 90 million euros with IFAD to strengthen agricultural supply chains localwhile in Algeria, regenerative agriculture projects have been started on semi-arid land.
A key continental initiative is the coffee supply chainwhich involves five East African pilot countries to improve quality and profitability. On the training and research front, they have been formalized Memorandum of understanding with Morocco, Tunisia, Egypt, Ethiopia and Kenya to promote higher technical education and academic exchange.
In Ethiopia, however, Italian action includes water purification programs and support for the national health system, integrating digital innovation to modernize public services and promote social and technological inclusion.
Melons to the African Union
Prime Minister Meloni’s mission to Addis Ababa will culminate with her participation as guest of honor in the plenary meeting of 39th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the African Unionscheduled for tomorrow in Mandela Hall.
An invitation that crowns the third official visit of the Prime Minister to Ethiopia in three years, testifying to the consistency of relations between Rome and Addis Ababa and the recognition of the cooperation path started with the Mattei Plan.
The dialogue will address issues such as political stability in the Horn of Africa and the coordinated management of migratory flows through local economic development.
Italy thus reaffirms the key principle of its foreign policy: the security and stability of the Mediterranean are inextricably linked to the prosperity and growth of the African continent.
