ROME — Italy is expanding its development cooperation in Africa while seeking to mobilize more international investment through its Mattei Plan, Deputy Foreign Minister Edmondo Cirielli told parliament. The strategy is gaining an industrial dimension, with Italian construction group Webuild selected as preferred bidder for a major section of the Lobito Corridor railway.
Speaking before the Foreign Affairs Committees of Italy’s Chamber of Deputies and Senate, Cirielli outlined Rome’s approach to African development, highlighting increased funding, a broader geographical reach and stronger cooperation with international financial institutions.
The parliamentary hearing coincided with a significant development for the Mattei Plan: Webuild’s selection to lead an international consortium for the Zambian section of a strategic railway connecting southern Africa to the Atlantic Ocean.
Why it matters: Italy is increasing its African commitments as other major Western partners reduce their financial engagement, according to Cirielli.
- Rome wants the Mattei Plan to attract international investment, combining development cooperation, public financing and private-sector participation.
- The Lobito Corridor provides a concrete example, connecting Italian industry to a G7-backed infrastructure project involving the United States, the European Union and African partners.
Zoom in: Italy’s growing financial commitment. Cirielli presented the Mattei Plan as an approach to development cooperation based on priorities identified by African partners rather than imposed by external donors. The deputy minister pointed to several figures illustrating the expansion of Italy’s engagement.
- Development cooperation funding has increased from €120 million to €823 million in one year, according to Cirielli.
- Italy has also allocated €270 million to bilateral debt-conversion initiatives for African countries, seeking to free up resources for development and investment.
Meanwhile, the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation (AICS) has used almost all the resources available for interventions this year, including previously unspent funds.
- The geographical scope of Italian cooperation is also expanding: The number of priority African countries under Italy’s latest three-year development cooperation plan has increased from 12 to 23.
- AICS is extending its presence on the continent, including through new offices in Côte d’Ivoire and Uganda.
The message from Rome: Italy intends to strengthen its development cooperation commitments while using the Mattei Plan to bring additional international partners and financial resources into African projects.
The big picture: A platform for international investment. Cirielli described the Mattei Plan as an open framework designed to connect Italy’s development initiatives with those of other governments, multilateral organizations and financial institutions.
- The objective is to move beyond individual bilateral projects and create partnerships capable of mobilizing larger investments.
- The deputy minister emphasized cooperation with the European Union and major African and international financial institutions. He also linked Italy’s approach to a broader shift in Western development financing.
- According to Cirielli, Rome is increasing its African commitments at a time when several larger Western partners have reduced theirs.
- The government wants the Mattei Plan to serve as a catalyst for international cooperation, bringing together initiatives and investment opportunities rather than operating as an exclusively Italian program.
Between the lines: The approach places Italy in a coordinating role, using its development cooperation resources and diplomatic relationships to encourage participation by larger international institutions and private companies.
Zoom in: Webuild and the Lobito Corridor. A concrete example of this approach is emerging in southern Africa. Africa Finance Corporation (AFC) has selected Italian construction group Webuild as preferred bidder for the 517-kilometer Zambian section of the Lobito Corridor railway.
- Webuild will lead an international consortium including Portugal’s Mota-Engil and Turkey’s İçtaş, selected following an international tender. The project forms part of an approximately 830-kilometer railway connection linking Zambia to the Angolan port of Lobito on the Atlantic coast.
- The Zambian section includes 22 bridges and viaducts, eight stations and three maintenance depots. The infrastructure is expected to significantly improve freight transport across the region.
- According to the Italian government, transport times to international markets could fall from 16 to seven days, reducing logistics costs and improving access to export markets. The corridor is particularly relevant for regional supply chains involving copper, cobalt and agricultural products.
- It will also provide a Western export route toward the Atlantic, offering an alternative to traditional connections through the Indian Ocean.
Why Italy is involved: Rome joined the memorandum of understanding supporting the Lobito Corridor during the 2024 G7 summit in Borgo Egnazia, alongside Angola, Zambia, the European Union, the United States and the African Development Bank.
- The Italian government subsequently worked with state-backed financial institutions Cassa Depositi e Prestiti (CDP) and SACE to support Italian companies seeking to participate in the project.
- For Rome, Webuild’s selection illustrates how the Mattei Plan can connect government diplomacy, financial institutions and private industry.
- The project could also generate opportunities for Italian small and medium-sized enterprises involved in construction, engineering and logistics.
The international dimension: The Lobito Corridor is a priority under the G7’s Partnership for Global Infrastructure and Investment and the European Union’s Global Gateway initiative.
- Its development therefore links Italy’s Africa policy to broader international efforts to improve infrastructure connectivity, support regional economic integration and strengthen supply chains for critical raw materials.
- Webuild has so far been designated preferred bidder, with the final contractual arrangements still to be confirmed.
Zoom out: Italy’s multilateral ambitions. Beyond infrastructure and development financing, Cirielli also highlighted Italy’s role as a hub for international organizations working on African development.
- The government sees cooperation with the United Nations and specialized institutions as another component of the Mattei Plan’s international reach.
- The broader institutional network also includes organizations such as the Mediterranean Agronomic Institute of Bari (CIHEAM) and the International Centre for the Study of the Preservation and Restoration of Cultural Property (ICCROM).
- Together with the expansion of AICS and cooperation with international financial institutions, these partnerships reflect Rome’s ambition to position Italy as a platform connecting African priorities with international expertise, financing and investment.
The bottom line: Cirielli’s parliamentary presentation outlined the financial and diplomatic expansion of the Mattei Plan. Webuild’s selection for the Lobito Corridor offers a concrete example of how that strategy can translate into industrial participation.
The next test will be whether Italy can sustain its growing development commitments while turning international partnerships into completed infrastructure projects and long-term economic opportunities for African countries.
