Opening the event, Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni unveiled a “non-predatory” plan that her far-right government hopes will foster a new relationship between Europe and Africa.
Her approach, which includes energy deals in return for stopping migration, is inspired by Enrico Mattei, the founder of state-owned Italian electricity giant Eni.
It positions Italy as a key bridge between Africa and Europe, funnelling energy north while exchanging investment in the south for deals aimed at curbing migrant departures across the Mediterranean.
Eye on energy
Meloni outlined a series of pilot projects in individual countries that she said would enable Africa to become a major exporter of energy to Europe, helping it reduce its dependence on Russian energy.
“We want to free up African energy to guarantee younger generations a right which to date has been denied,” Meloni said.
“Because here in Europe we talk a lot about the right to emigrate, but we rarely talk about guaranteeing the right to not be forced to emigrate.”
Meloni, who came to power in 2022 on an anti-migrant ticket, said the plan would initially be funded to the tune of €5.5 billion, some of which would be loans, with investments focused on energy, agriculture, water, health and education.
Representatives of more than 25 countries attended the summit on Monday at the Italian Senate. Also present were European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and representatives of UN agencies and the World Bank.
No consultation
Critics have warned the plan favours European priorities and pockets.
African Union Commission chairman Moussa Faki Mahamat said that African countries would have liked to have been consulted before Italy rolled out its plan.
“We need to pass from words to deeds,” Faki, the former prime minister of Chad, said addressing the summit. “We cannot be happy with promises that are never maintained.”
Giovanni Carbone, who runs the Africa programme at the Institute for International Political Studies in Milan, questioned whether Italy had the necessary African development knowledge or experience to make its plan work.
“Italy has a tradition of relatively close relations with Mediterranean countries such as Tunisia, Libya, partly Algeria and Egypt, but less so with sub-Saharan Africa, which should be at the heart of the Mattei Plan,” he told French news agency AFP.
