(Adnkronos) – Italy views Africa as a priority and wants to act as a “bridge” with Europe though its multi-billion euro blueprint to spur the continent’s growth including in the energy sector, boosting prosperity and security and curbing illegal immigration, foreign minister Antonio Tajani said on Monday.
“Africa has always been a priority for us. It is no coincidence that we launched the (5.5 billion euro) Mattei Plan, which represents a modern way of looking at the African continent without a colonial mentality,” Tajani said ahead of a visit to Mauritania, Senegal, and Niger.
“There is a part of Africa that looks to Europe for guidance, and we want to be a bridge between Africa and Europe,” Tajani continued.
Tajani was speaking in Rome on the sidelines of the five-day Space Economy States General, which also includes events in Turin and Milan.
Tajani’s mission together with interior minister Matteo Piantedosi, aims to strengthen political relations with West Africa through joint ventures and projects to promote security, growth, and stability in the region, in line with the Mattei Plan for Africa,” according to a foreign ministry statement.
Mauritania and Senegal were among five new countries included this year in the Italian government’s 2024 Mattei Plan for Africa’s economic development and security.
During the mission, meetings are slated with top officials from the three African countries, representatives of the local and Italian business communities, the foreign ministry statement said.
“In Niger, I will greet the Italian military contingent and in Mauritania, I will officially inaugurate the new Italian embassy (in Nouakchott),” said Tajani.
The embassy in Nouakchott opened in 2024 to revitalize bilateral relations with Mauritania.
“In Senegal, which is a large country, we will hold a series of meetings including a business forum, where I will bring together all of Italy’s ambassadors in Africa,” said Tajani.
Senegal is a strategic economic partner for Italy and the fourth largest market for its exports in sub-Saharan Africa, and the second largest among West African countries. Bilateral trade is flourishing, according to the foreign ministry.
Security experts will attend the meeting with Italy’s ambassadors to Africa, while on the sidelines of the event, state lender CDP, investment agency SIMEST and Senegal’s investment agency APIX will ink an accord to foster bilateral economic cooperation and joint investment in strategic sectors, the foreign ministry said.
Tajani and Piantedosi will also hold talks with Senegal’s president Bassirou Diomaye Diakhar Faye, African integration and foreign minister Cheikh Niang and interior minister Mouhamadou Bamba Cisse, the foreign ministry statement said.
“Minister Piantedosi is accompanying me on this trip because we will also address the issues of security, the fight against terrorism and immigration…it is a sign of the great attention we are paying to these countries” Tajani stated.
Tajani intends to organise an event in Rome with the countries of sub-Saharan Africa “precisely because Italy wants to be a constructive interlocutor,” he said.
“I believe there is great scope for our country and I believe that these countries are looking very closely at Italy.”
In Mauritania, a priority country for Italy’s overseas development cooperation, Tajani and Piantedosi will hold talks with premier Mokhtar Ould Diay, foreign minister Mohamed Salem Ould Merzoug and interior minister Mohamed Ahmed Ould Mohamed Lemine.
The mission will wrap up in Niger with talks between Tajani and Piantedosi with and the country’s president Abdourahamane Tiani, foreign minister Bakary Yaou Sangare, interior minister Mohamed Boubacar Toumba, and with the Italian Support Mission in Niger (MISIN) contingent’s commander General Ivan Cioffi, the foreign ministry said.
The visit to Niger offers an opportunity to resume dialogue “on converging interests and common challenges” especially the fight against terrorism, illegal immigration and trafficking, said the ministry.
