Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni travels to Algiers on Wednesday for her second visit to Algeria since taking office, underscoring what Italian officials describe as a relationship that has “reached an unprecedented level” in both political and economic terms.
The trip, according to Italian sources briefed on the visit, is designed to consolidate a partnership that has moved well beyond its traditional energy محور, even as gas remains the backbone of bilateral ties. It comes at a time of heightened geopolitical volatility — from tensions in Iran and instability across the Sahel to continued disruption in global energy markets — that has elevated Algeria’s strategic importance for Rome.
Why Algeria matters. Italy has, in recent years, positioned Algeria as a cornerstone of its external economic and security strategy.
- The North African country is now Italy’s largest trading partner on the continent, with bilateral trade reaching €12.9bn in 2025, while Italian direct investment stands at €8.5bn.
- Rome is both Algeria’s leading customer and its second-largest supplier, holding a 7.3 per cent share of the country’s imports.
Energy remains central. Algeria is Italy’s top supplier of natural gas, a relationship rooted in decades of cooperation between Eni and Sonatrach and dating back to the legacy of Enrico Mattei.
- Officials say talks between Meloni and President Abdelmadjid Tebboune will include a detailed stocktaking of energy cooperation, particularly in light of what they describe as a “complex international context”.
Partnership beyond gas. But the visit is also intended to signal a broader shift. Italian officials frame the relationship as increasingly multidimensional, spanning agriculture, industrial investment, training and digital cooperation — areas closely tied to Rome’s “Mattei Plan” for Africa.
- Two flagship initiatives are already under way in Algeria: a desert agriculture project developed with BF International and a training centre in Sidi Bel Abbès, designed as a pan-African hub for agricultural expertise.
- More broadly, the Mattei Plan envisages a portfolio of joint projects across energy, digital infrastructure, culture and tourism.
- “The objective is to move from a purely energy-based partnership to a structured, long-term strategic relationship,” one Italian official said ahead of the visit.
- That ambition reflects a wider recalibration in Italy’s foreign policy, which seeks to combine energy security with industrial policy and migration management, while expanding Rome’s influence across the Mediterranean and into Africa.
Migration is expected to feature prominently in talks. Italian officials describe cooperation with Algeria on controlling migration flows and combating human trafficking as “excellent”, with both sides looking to deepen coordination.
- The issue is politically sensitive in Italy, where the government has made migration management a central plank of its domestic agenda.
Security concerns extend beyond migration. Both leaders are expected to discuss the deteriorating situation in the Sahel, where jihadist groups have expanded their reach, as well as the broader instability in Libya — a country with which Algeria shares nearly 1,000km of border and which remains a critical پرون for Italian security interests.
- The bilateral will also cover major international dossiers, including the conflicts in Gaza and Lebanon, tensions involving Iran, and the war in Ukraine, now entering its fifth year. Italian officials stress that Algeria is viewed in Rome not only as an energy supplier but as a relevant interlocutor on regional and global crises.
For Meloni, the visit carries both economic and geopolitical weight. Strengthening ties with Algiers allows Italy to reinforce its role as a bridge between Europe and Africa while hedging against external shocks in energy supply and regional instability.
- At the same time, the deepening partnership reflects a pragmatic convergence of interests. Algeria is seeking investment, technology and diversified economic ties beyond hydrocarbons, while Italy is looking for reliable partners in an increasingly fragmented geopolitical landscape.
The challenge, Italian officials acknowledge privately, will be to translate political alignment into scalable projects and sustained economic integration.
What we’re waiting: Meloni and Tebboune are expected to deliver joint statements at the end of the visit, signalling the next phase of a relationship that Rome increasingly sees as central to its strategic posture in the Mediterranean and beyond.
