Decoding the news. AI, data centers, energy interconnectivity, critical minerals, and joint initiatives in Africa under Italy’s Mattei Plan were at the core of a bilateral meeting in Rome between Enterprise and Made in Italy Minister Adolfo Urso and UAE Minister for International Cooperation Reem Al Hashimi, President Mohamed bin Zayed’s special envoy for relations with Italy.
- Italy sees the UAE as a strategic partner in third countries, building tech-heavy, high-impact projects. However, that cooperation unfolds in a globally competitive environment, where China, through players like Huawei, is already active in key African states such as Egypt, a strategic partner for both Rome and Abu Dhabi.
What’s on the table. Urso and Al Hashimi reaffirmed their commitment to implementing the bilateral MoU on AI and Data Centres, backed by a concrete industrial move: Eni and Khazna signed a Heads of Terms agreement to set up a Joint Venture for the development of a 500 MW AI Data Center Campus in Ferrera Erbognone, Lombardy, Italy.
- The goal is to turn MoUs into operational tools to drive Emirati investment into Italy’s digital transition and global industrial footprint. Italy also presented its national industrial strategy, based on 10 vertical and eight enabling sectors, as a blueprint for long-term cooperation.
Africa in focus — and the AI Hub. The Rome meeting highlighted the role of the AI Hub for Sustainable Development, launched under Italy’s G7 presidency with UNDP and African partners.
- Urso called it “a beacon of innovation and a concrete bridge between Italy, Europe, and Africa.”
- It aims to support 500 African startups by 2028 and catalyse dozens of high-impact public-private partnerships.
- The initiative aligns with the UAE’s growing interest in Africa and reinforces the potential for trilateral cooperation.
Yes, but… Italy’s AI push enters a crowded playing field. Just last week, Huawei launched a major free AI education program in Egypt, covering over 25,000 students across three universities, including Al-Azhar, one of the world’s most influential Sunni institutions.
- The initiative, part of Egypt’s Vision 2030 and national AI strategy, combines digital infrastructure, education, and soft power, further embedding Chinese tech influence in the region’s strategic, even religious, institutions.
So what. Cairo is now a key node in China’s tech expansion into Africa. Huawei’s program reflects a systemic strategy blending economic, educational, and cultural penetration.
- In this context, a reinforced Italy-UAE partnership offers a Euro-Arab alternative, grounded in sustainable, inclusive, and high-value industrial investment.
- This is not a zero-sum game: the UAE’s multi-aligned diplomacy — shared by many Global South actors — allows room for parallel engagement with multiple powers.
What we’re watching. The Italy-UAE alliance could evolve into a strategic tool for regional integration in Africa, not just building local capacity but advancing tech-driven models of interconnection, governance, and development across the continent.
