The Italy-Africa summit, which was to bring together around twenty African heads of state, was postponed until January. This decision was motivated by the worsening international security context, according to the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The postponement comes as Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni is visiting Mozambique and Congo-Brazzaville with the aim of strengthening ties between Italy and Africa, particularly in the field of energy.
During her visit, Giorgia Meloni is accompanied by the general director of Eni, the Italian gas giant, and focuses in particular on the floating platform project for the extraction of liquefied natural gas in Mozambique. Eni is already present on the African continent, notably in Algeria, Egypt and Ivory Coast. Italy thus wishes to become a leader in discussions between Africa and the European Union concerning gas supplies.
The Italy-Africa summit was to be an opportunity for Giorgia Meloni to present her Mattei plan for Africa, in reference to the founder of Eni. This plan consists of a vast program of investments and partnerships, which will be detailed later. The migration issue is also linked to this project, and the Italian Prime Minister presented her plan as a serious alternative to the phenomenon of mass migration during her speech at the UN.
During her visit to Congo-Brazzaville, Giorgia Meloni met President Denis Sassou Nguesso. They discussed cooperation between the two countries and expressed their desire to strengthen it. The Italian Prime Minister said she wanted to adopt a non-paternalistic approach, based on a win-win model where businesses grow. Illegal immigration was also mentioned during their discussions, with the aim of allowing Africa to develop and train its youth so that they become competent and do not feel the need to go on an adventure in Mediterranean or Europe.
This postponement of the Italy-Africa summit and the visit of Giorgia Meloni to Mozambique and Congo-Brazzaville underline the growing importance of Africa in international discussions, particularly in the field of energy. Italy seeks to strengthen its ties with the African continent, while proposing alternative solutions to the migration issue. The success of these initiatives will be instrumental in establishing lasting and mutually beneficial partnerships between Italy and Africa.