Reshaping Italy's future in Africa

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni announced plans with Africa at the Italy-Africa Summit in Rome on January 29 with a “dual goal” - solving the migration problem and meeting the country's energy needs.

Kế hoạch Mattei: Định hình lại tương lai Italy tại châu Phi

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni (center) speaks at the opening ceremony of the Italy-Africa Summit on January 29. (Source: AP)

The International Conference on Africa in Rome is an international event organized by Italy, with the participation of more than 20 African leaders, senior officials of the European Union (EU) and the United Nations (UN), and representatives of international financial institutions.

The conference's objective was to present Italy's plan for the comprehensive development of Africa to international leaders. Through the conference, Prime Minister Meloni expressed his desire to improve Italy-Africa relations, control illegal migration and make Italy a hub for energy distribution from Africa to Europe.

Ms. Meloni shared that the “destinies” of Europe and Africa are closely linked and believes that cooperation can create a better future for both continents.

2024 is also the year Italy takes on the presidency of the Group of Seven (G7). Accordingly, this country sets the goal of developing Africa as a central theme to enhance its role and influence in the context of the increasing presence of major countries such as China, the US, Russia, India, and Japan in the region.

Mr. Moussa Faki Mahamat, Chairman of the African Union Commission (AUC), said that Africa was "ready to discuss the content and implementation" of the plan, but he also emphasized that countries wanted to be consulted before Italy announced the above plan.

"We need to turn words into actions," Mr. Faki told the summit. "We must not be satisfied with promises without real change."

Mattei Plan

During the conference, the leader of the far-right party Meloni announced that he would reshape relations with African countries through the Mattei Plan with an approach of “non-exclusivity”, but instead “step by step development together”. The name of this plan was inspired by Enrico Mattei, founder of the state-owned oil and gas group Eni in Italy.

According to the Express , since taking office in late 2022, Ms. Meloni has made the Mattei Plan the centerpiece of her foreign policy. In addition, this Plan is a new approach by expanding cooperation with Africa not only in energy, but also in other areas such as education, health care, water, sanitation, agriculture and infrastructure.

Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said Italy would start a series of pilot projects – from modernizing grain production in Egypt to water purification in Ethiopia and renewable energy training in Morocco – and if successful, it would expand and apply projects across Africa.

European Commission President Von der Leyen said that the Mattei Plan is “complementary” to the EU’s 150 billion euro support package for Africa in 2022. Therefore, the Italian and EU plans for Africa have a common goal, which is to promote economic and social development in Africa, as well as strengthen Europe-Africa relations.

Experts say that, in addition to the goal of developing relations with the African region, Italy also shows a "desire" to find solutions to migration and energy problems.

Win-win cooperation

According to News.com.au , the Mattie Plan is a win-win cooperation model. Italy will invest in energy projects in Africa. In return, African countries will implement measures to control and reduce the number of illegal migrants from Africa to Europe.

On the energy front , Prime Minister Meloni aims to position Italy as an energy gateway, especially for natural gas transport. This is especially important as European countries seek to reduce their dependence on Russian gas following the outbreak of military conflict in Ukraine.

However, critics say the plan appears to focus too much on the extraction and use of fossil fuels, such as oil and gas. About 40 civil society organizations in Africa have expressed concern, warning that the Mattei Plan may help Italy quench its energy thirst, but it is also dangerous and likely to ignore existing environmental commitments.

Speaking to AFP , Francesco Sassi, a geopolitics and energy markets researcher at RIE, criticized Ms Meloni's approach as "shortsighted" and "overly simplistic" in dealing with energy insecurity.

In addition, while acknowledging that energy is an important aspect of the Mattei Plan, analysts say that Meloni's main motivation is the migration issue . In fact, the number of migrants in Italy has increased, from about 105,000 in 2022 to nearly 158,000 in 2023.

“It is essential that we cooperate and coordinate closely to end the flow of migrants from Africa,” said African Union President Azali Assoumani.

Migrants cross the English Channel to reach the port of Dover, England, on May 4, 2023. (Source: AFP)

The Mediterranean has become the world's most dangerous sea crossing for migrants. According to the International Organization for Migration, nearly 100 people have died or gone missing in the central and eastern Mediterranean since the start of 2024.

That is more than double the figure for the same period in 2023, which saw the highest death rate for migrants crossing the sea in Europe since 2016. Ms. Meloni plans to address the problem by persuading migrant-sending countries to sign re-entry agreements for those who are refused permission to stay in Italy.

The International Conference on Africa in Rome, Italy on January 29th was a success, helping the Italian Prime Minister to announce the Mattei Plan to African and European leaders. This plan revolves around two main issues: migration and energy. This is an urgent issue not only for Italy but also for European countries.

However, other leaders are still cautious about its effectiveness. Given the mixed opinions, Ms. Meloni will need to carefully consider her strategy to convince partners in Africa and Europe.

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