Italy’s government held on Tuesday the fifth steering committee meeting for the Mattei Plan for Africa on Tuesday at Palazzo Chigi, signalling continued momentum behind Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s flagship Africa strategy.
The meeting, chaired by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani, brought together a wide cross-section of Italian institutions and stakeholders involved in the initiative.
Who was in the room: Participants included cabinet members, the chairs of the foreign affairs committees of both chambers of parliament, representatives of regional governments and municipalities, and a broad group of actors from what officials often call “Sistema Italia.”
- That group ranged from state entities and publicly owned companies to universities, research institutions, civil society organisations, business associations, and representatives of the African diaspora in Italy.
Why it matters: Italy is quietly scaling up the Mattei Plan for Africa, widening the number of partner countries and sharpening its focus on water and education — two sectors Rome sees as central to long-term stability and economic cooperation with Africa.
The big picture: The meeting reviewed the results of the second Italy-Africa Summit, held in Addis Ababa on Feb. 13, which forms part of Rome’s broader effort to reposition itself as a key European partner for African development and investment.
- The summit marked another step in Italy’s attempt to structure long-term partnerships across the continent, combining development cooperation with energy, infrastructure, and human capital initiatives.
Expansion underway: Government sources said the Mattei Plan is being implemented through an incremental approach that gradually expands the number of partner countries and projects.
- Within that framework, officials highlighted the inclusion of four additional African countries — Gabon, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda, and Zambia — bringing the total number of partner nations involved in Mattei Plan projects to 18.
- The move signals Rome’s intention to broaden the initiative’s geographic reach beyond its initial focus areas.
Where is Italy focusing next: Discussions during the meeting centred on two thematic pillars now gaining prominence within the initiative:
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- Water resource management is a sector expected to gain increasing relevance as the African Union prepares to designate water as a priority theme for 2026.
- Education and vocational training, where Italian institutions and companies are expected to play a role in strengthening local skills and workforce development.
- Officials see these areas as essential for addressing structural challenges across African economies while supporting sustainable growth and stability.
What we’re watching: The education component will also feature prominently in the coming months.
- Italy is set to co-host and co-chair, together with Nigeria, the closing summit of the replenishment cycle of the “Global Partnership for Education” — the world’s largest international partnership dedicated to strengthening education systems.
- The summit is scheduled to take place in Rome this June, adding another diplomatic milestone to Italy’s expanding engagement with African partners.
