Summits between Africa and foreign powers have become increasingly popular in recent years. After France-Africa, USA-Africa and China-Africa, it was Italy-Africa's turn on January 28 and 29, 2024. At least 25 African leaders made the trip to agree to a 5.5 billion euro investment plan. In short, Rome is offering energy agreements in exchange for increased cooperation on migration issues.
At a time when Turkey, Russia and China are on a roll in Africa, Italy is keen to improve its relations with the continent. The first Italy-Africa Summit, held on January 28 and 29, 2024 in the historic city of Rome, gave the Far-Right Prime Minister the opportunity to unveil her ambitious sustainable development program. It includes investments in education, health, water and sanitation, but above all energy agreements for the coming years.
The 5.5 billion euro initiative announced with great fanfare is no coincidence, for in exchange for these economic opportunities in at least 25 African countries, Giorgia Meloni expects Macky Sall, President of the Republic of Senegal, and his counterparts Azali Assoumani of the Comoros, Kaïs Saïed of Tunisia and Denis Sassou Nguesso, present at this first Summit, to make a significant contribution to reducing the migratory flows that Italy is beginning to get fed up with. A record 70,000 irregular arrivals on the island of Lampedusa from Africa were recorded in 2023, compared with 9,400 in 2016.
This cooperation, presented as “on an equal footing” and not convincing enough to Moussa Faki Mahamat, Chairman of the African Union Commission (AUC), is already being criticized by part of the Italian political class. This is notably the case of MP Peppe Provenzano, who sees it as “a neo-colonial empty box” aimed at exploiting Africa’s natural resources (fossil fuels, editor’s note), he denounced on his Twitter account.
Polluting energy agreements?
Italy, like most European countries, has been faced with a shortage of Russian gas supplies since the start of the war in Ukraine. And future agreements with Africa on its hydrocarbon potential should help halt the soaring bill prices affecting many Italian households. However, senior European Union (EU) officials, as Ursula von der Leyen, who are always advocating clean energies were on hand at the Quirinal presidential palace to support this polluting Italy-Africa partnership.
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At the same time, Rome is highlighting the achievements of its oil group Eni as part of the “Mattei Plan” (named after its founder), which inspired the 5.5 billion euro African program. The Italian multinational, headquartered in the Vatican City, has a strong presence on the African continent, particularly in Egypt, since 2021.
Benoit-Ivan Wansi
