Italy pledges deeper cooperation at second Italy-Africa Summit

ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia (AP) — Italy reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening cooperation with African countries during the second Italy–Africa Summit, the first held on African soil. The meeting focused on reviewing projects launched under the Mattei Plan for Africa, particularly in strategic sectors such as energy and infrastructure.

Launched in 2024, the Mattei Plan promotes investment-driven partnerships rather than traditional aid. Addressing African heads of state in Addis Ababa, Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni stressed that successful cooperation depends on listening to African priorities and building solutions together.

“We want to build things together,” she said, emphasizing alignment with the needs of partner countries.

Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed described the initiative as a gateway to stronger Africa–Europe collaboration and urged leaders to move “from dialogue to action.”

Since its launch, the Mattei Plan has involved 14 African nations and advanced around 100 projects across energy, agriculture, infrastructure, health, education, and artificial intelligence, according to the Italian government.

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