Italy has pledged to strengthen its engagement with African nations at the second Italy-Africa Summit, the first edition of the forum to be hosted on African soil.
Held in Addis Ababa, the summit brought together Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and dozens of African heads of state and government to assess progress under the Mattei Plan for Africa — Rome’s flagship development initiative launched in 2024.
Investment-Led Partnership
The Mattei Plan aims to reshape Italy’s relationship with Africa by prioritising investment and joint ventures over traditional aid. Key focus areas include energy, climate transition, agriculture, food security, healthcare, digital and physical infrastructure, education and artificial intelligence.
Addressing leaders in Ethiopia’s capital, Meloni stressed that cooperation must be rooted in partnership rather than patronage. “We want to build things together,” she said, adding that meaningful collaboration requires aligning projects with the specific needs of African countries and learning from local expertise.
Call to Move From Dialogue to Delivery
Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed described the initiative as an opportunity to deepen ties between Africa and Europe. “This is a moment to move from dialogue to action,” he said, arguing that Africa’s young and dynamic population, combined with Europe’s technology and capital, could generate mutual economic gains.
The Italy-Africa meeting concluded ahead of the annual African Union Summit, with leaders remaining in Addis Ababa for broader continental discussions.
Questions Over Implementation
While the initiative has been welcomed diplomatically, analysts caution that tangible outcomes will depend on execution. Kenyan political analyst Nanjala Nyabola noted that successful summits require detailed preparation and clearly defined national priorities from participating countries.
Rather than focusing on symbolism, she argued, governments should present structured development plans and negotiate practical solutions.
Expanding Scope
Italian officials say the Mattei Plan has so far directly involved 14 African countries and launched or advanced nearly 100 projects across strategic sectors. As Rome expands its footprint on the continent, the effectiveness of the plan will be measured not only by announcements but by the delivery of sustainable projects and long-term economic cooperation.
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