Dr Hamdy Abdelrahman Hassan

There’s an African proverb that says: "If you want to go fast, go alone. But if you want to go far, go together." That seemed to be Italy’s logic as it sought to convince African leaders to join forces under the Mattei Plan. The plan is named after the late Enrico Mattei, who founded the Italian energy company Eni. In the 1950s, Mattei called on Italy to support north African governments in developing their natural resources. A long-awaited Italy-Africa summit was held on 28 January 2024 with 25 African leaders. During the opening ceremony, the Mattei Plan for Africa was officially unveiled as an ambitious project to strengthen ties on energy supply, with Eni at the forefront of these endeavors. During the UN Climate Change Conference (COP28) in Dubai last December, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni stated that the plan aimed to "build mutually beneficial partnerships and support the energy security of African and Mediterranean nations."Italy, which is leading the G7 this year, has committed to making African development a key issue on its agenda. This year marked the first time that the Italy-Africa summit brought together heads of state rather than only ministers. It was also the first international summit that Italy held after beginning its G7 presidency, which seems to further attest to the importance of its partnership with African nations.Prime Minister Meloni, who criticized French policy in Africa before assuming her post, will try to make the Mattei Plan the cornerstone of Italy’s new African policy. This policy seems largely driven by the fact that 40 percent of Italian natural gas imports come from Africa. Furthermore, 80 percent of irregular migrants arriving in Italy embark from north African ports. Italy intends to be proactive in working with Africa on these issues instead of only acting in response. The Mattei Plan also aims to rectify wrongs from the European colonial past in Africa through ensuring the plan is mutually beneficial and avoiding any form of paternalism. Most Western initiatives in Africa are primarily focused on containing Russian and Chinese influence. Enrico Mattei saw Africa as a new "battleground" between East and West; in many ways, this perception continues to hold true. As China bolsters its influence through the Belt and Road Initiative, the US is trying to establish the Lobito Corridor to the Atlantic Ocean. Blinken’s fourth trip to Africa also served to reenergize the Partnership on Atlantic Cooperation, with a focus on ties between northern European and southern Atlantic countries, particularly African nations.Meloni’s recent focus on bolstering Italian relations with Africa builds on earlier efforts by previous Italian prime ministers. In 2007, Romano Prodi was the first Italian prime minister to visit the African Union, a move which signaled Italy’s interest in engaging with the African continent. During 2014-16, Matteo Renzi further expanded these efforts and carried out other initiatives such as opening five new embassies in Africa and passing a new law on development aid. Renzi visited seven African nations to further this cooperation, attract investment, and strengthen diplomatic ties. What distinguishes Meloni from her predecessors is that she is aware that sustainable Italian involvement in Africa requires a comprehensive long-term strategy backed by clear policy tools. This strategic approach acknowledges that Italian influence in Africa can only grow through consistent, well-targeted initiatives over an extended period of time.However, the Mattei Plan has faced various challenges, which primarily stem from a lack of clarity and strategic direction. Although the plan is seen as a necessary policy step, key strategic components and policy tools remain ambiguous and poorly-defined. There was a delay in creating an administrative structure and allocated budget for the plan, and the lack of a clear framework for implementation could lead to further uncertainty about the plan’s objectives and funding. The plan’s focus on investing in African fossil fuels also seems out of place in light of pressures on the Italian economy to end reliance on fossil fuels. This matter will require further study. The Mattei Plan should instead focus on developing clean energy sources. Developing projects along the lines of the new green hydrogen deal that the EU signed with Namibia would be beneficial both for Italy and its partner countries, particularly in light of the global trend towards renewable energy.The current Italian approach lacks a strategic vision and could fall short of addressing evolving energy needs and environmental concerns, both from Italy and its African partners. There are also additional issues at stake since many African nations have ties with Italy, whether historical (as is the case with Ethiopia and Mozambique) or through migrant communities (as with Senegal). Partnerships is those contexts will require more comprehensive engagement beyond energy agreements. Political instability, internal conflict, and limited state capabilities in some regions will also complicate efforts to attract private sector investments for energy markets. Instead, Italian policy-makers should prioritize investing in mediation to alleviate major conflicts and improve stability. This is of utmost importance in managing migration flows and mitigating negative impacts. However, Italy’s limited budget allocations pose a significant obstacle to the effective implementation of the Mattei Plan.Without sufficient funding, Italian commitments to Africa will seem insincere and untrustworthy, especially compared to other international aid initiatives. To overcome this challenge, Italy must prioritize budget allocations for development aid and commit to a long-term effort towards achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goal of allocating at least 0.7 percent of the country’s GNI towards development assistance by 2030. In taking these steps, Italy would demonstrate true commitment to supporting African development and bolster its standing as a credible partner on the global stage.

What is Mattei’s Objective from Reengaging with Africa?