Addis Ababa (Somalistandard) – The Italian prime Minister Giorgia Meloni announced on Friday that her government plans to present a new initiative for Africa called the “Mattei plan” in the autumn.
Meloni made the announcement upon arrival in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia for a two-day visit, according to the Italian news agency ANSA.
“We are working on a series of initiatives regarding Africa,” ANSA quoted Meloni as saying.
The next Italy-Africa intergovernmental summit, which takes place every two years, will be in the autumn and it could be the occasion to present our Mattei plan. In the meantime, we are working in cooperation with the African countries because you cannot think you know the best solutions without dialogue with those who are directly concerned.” ANSA quoted the Premier as saying.
Meloni has been advocating for Europe to increase aid and strengthen cooperation with Africa as part of a strategy to reduce the number of migrants attempting to cross the Mediterranean.
Italy says it views the stability and integrity of Ethiopia as a priority due to its location on the migratory route from the Horn of Africa to North Africa and Europe.
Ethiopia currently hosts 823,000 refugees and 4.2 million internally displaced people, and the humanitarian crisis and conflict in neighboring Somalia are expected to be key topics of discussion during Meloni’s visit.
During her trip, Meloni was scheduled to meet with Ethiopian Premier Abiy Ahmed, who visited Rome in February, and Moussa Faki Mahamat, Chairperson of the African Union Commission (AUC).
She is also set to hold bilateral meetings with Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud and representatives from Ethiopia and Somalia on Saturday to discuss the ongoing challenges in the region.
In addition to her diplomatic engagements, Meloni will also visit the Galileo Galilei comprehensive school in Addis Ababa, which is the largest Italian school outside of Italy with around 900 students.
The Mattei plan, named after Eni founder Enrico Mattei, is expected to outline Italy’s proposed initiatives for Africa, with a focus on aid, development, and cooperation.
Meloni’s visit to Ethiopia and her announcement of the plan reflect Italy’s commitment to addressing the challenges and opportunities in Africa and strengthening ties with African countries.
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