Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said that Italy will hold the second Italian-African summit at the level of heads of state and government in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa, on February 13.
She explained in a press conference that the summit will allow Italy to strengthen its strategic relations with the African continent and consolidate the goals set by the Mattei Plan for Africa, which was launched in Rome in January 2024.
This event, which is organized every two years, will be held in Africa for the first time, in conjunction with the African Union Summit, on the eve of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the African Union.
As part of the summit activities, Prime Minister Meloni, as guest of honour, will deliver a speech at the association’s opening general session, scheduled to be held on the morning of Saturday, February 14.
Two years after its official launch, this initiative represents a new milestone in Italy's commitment to strengthening structured political and economic partnerships with African countries, by consolidating cooperation in the areas of sustainable development, infrastructure, energy, education and training, health care, and agriculture, in line with the strategic pillars of the Mattei Plan.
The summit will also provide an opportunity to review the progress made in implementing the plan, which aims to strengthen Italy's presence on the continent through comprehensive missions, political dialogue, and joint projects, in addition to jointly defining practical priorities for the coming years.
Ethiopia hosts the Italian-African summit
