Italy-Africa Summit: Building Bridges Through the Mattei Plan

In a bid to strengthen its ties with the African continent, Italy held its second Italy-Africa summit on Friday, marking the first such meeting on African soil. During the summit, Italy pledged to expand cooperation with African nations in critical sectors including energy and infrastructure, as part of its Mattei Plan for Africa.

Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni addressed African leaders in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, underlining Italy's commitment to a partnership driven by investment rather than aid. Meloni highlighted the importance of mutual learning and cooperation, stating, "We want to build things together." Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed emphasized the potential for combining African dynamism with European expertise to foster prosperity.

Nanjala Nyabola, a Kenyan writer and political analyst, noted the importance of preparation for tangible outcomes. She encouraged African governments to focus on actionable engagements rather than mere optics. Since its launch in 2024, the Mattei Plan has engaged 14 African countries, advancing roughly 100 projects in areas such as energy, climate transition, and healthcare, according to Italian government sources.