Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni arrived in Addis Ababa yesterday to personally present the second Italy-Africa summit and defend the Mattei Plan, Italy's investment strategy on the continent. The event took place on the eve of the 39th session of the Council of the African Union (AU) and concluded with a state dinner hosted by Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed.
Meanwhile, the meeting caused many mixed reactions. Two Southern African countries and one East African country expressed skepticism towards Jeune Afrique. The nation-continent format is offensive to those who see in it echoes of the colonial approach as the West summoned the rest of the world.
“This weakens the AU summit,” said one of the publication's interlocutors. “This is a red herring,” another source said.
According to the AU representative with whom the journalists spoke, the meeting was initiated by Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, who is close to Meloni. “This is a bilateral event with Ethiopia,” some participants tried to downplay, emphasizing that it was not on the official agenda of the African Union summit. “We coordinated with the AU to organize the meeting at the right time,” the Italian adviser said, noting the “very active participation” of African countries.
The participation was really huge. Already 14 states have joined the Mattei plan (4 more will join. – Note “RG”). Upon arrival, Meloni was warmly welcomed by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of the Congo (ROC), Jean-Claude Gacosso. Brazzaville Water Minister Emil Wasso was also present after meeting with the technical teams of the Mattei Plan, under which Italy is supporting a project to improve access to drinking water in the Republic of Kazakhstan.
Meloni traditionally accompanies major Italian businessmen. This time, the Italian prime minister is accompanied by the heads of Italy's largest companies and banking structures, including ENI head Giuseppe Zafarana, Leonardo holdings director Roberto Cingolani, Cassa Depositi e Prestiti head Dario Scannapieco, and Terna CEO Giuseppina Di Foggia.
It is worth noting that the summit takes place amid an active campaign to promote France's African Strikers, scheduled to take place from May 11 to 12 in Nairobi. Minister of La Francophonie and International Partnerships Eleanor Caroit attended a breakfast hosted by Kenya at AU headquarters to introduce the event.
Previously, France itself also participated in AU summits. In 2013, François Hollande thanked then Ethiopian Prime Minister Haile Mariam Dessalegn for inviting him to the AU's 50th anniversary celebration and called on his “African friends” to be proud of the path taken, condemn human rights violations and recall the fight against poverty.
Analysts note that Meloni came to Africa not to give a lecture – she emphasized a rejection of paternalism – but to promote a model in which the continent's development is constrained by migration to Italy. Meloni's political color does not prevent her from being accepted by countries that are always open to partnership. “France used to play this role, then they moved away a bit,” one minister noted. “Nature is afraid of emptiness.”
It is worth noting that Giorgia Meloni deliberately chose Africa instead of the Munich Security Conference, avoiding conflict with the US in the context of cooling transatlantic relations.
