Rédaction Africa Links 24 with Africanews
Published on 2024-01-30 12:34:15
Italy’s development plan for Africa has been compared to the Marshall Plan, with the goal of reducing illegal migration through economic prosperity and transforming Italy into a key energy supply hub. The head of the UN Migration agency warned against scaling down rescue missions on the Mediterranean, but also welcomed the summit as a positive development.
The summit was held at the Italian Senate and marked the first time it was at the head of state or government level. Italian ministers detailed various aspects of the plan, with a gala dinner hosted by Italian President Sergio Mattarella. The long-term horizon of the plan was discussed, with the Secretary General of an Italian development foundation in Africa noting that it would take a substantial amount of time to see significant results.
African Union commission Chair and the Deputy chief of the United Nations emphasized the importance of realizing the potential of Africa, especially in the context of falling short of sustainable development goals. Two dozen African leaders, including William Ruto of Kenya, were in Rome for the summit, the first major event of Italy’s Group of Seven presidency.
At the same time, Italian green and opposition lawmakers planned a counter-conference to criticize the Mattei Plan as a neocolonial “empty box” that seeks to exploit Africa’s natural resources. Additionally, Italy has forged deals with individual countries, such as Tunisia and Albania, to mitigate the migration burden on Italy.
Amy Pope, the director general of the International Organization for Migration, emphasized the importance of investing in green energy and job training as a more effective way of dealing with migration pressures. She stated that “The fact that the conversation is not actually all about migration, but about how you drive better development outcomes, how you invest in green energy, how you invest in job training, that is a much more effective way of dealing with migration pressures, than just talking about how do we stop people from crossing the Mediterranean.”
Overall, the summit and the Mattei Plan represent a significant step in Italy’s approach to addressing migration and development in Africa. The long-term goals and the involvement of African leaders demonstrate a commitment to finding sustainable solutions.
