The Rwandan Minister of Foreign Affairs Vincent Biruta is in Rome to represent President Paul Kagame at the Italy-Africa Summit, held under the theme “A bridge for common growth”, which aimed at illustrating Italy’s big development plan for the continent.
Italy’s Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni opened up the Africa summit in Rome today unveiling a plan to boost development for the continent that she hopes would curb migrant arrivals, diversify sources of energy, and forge a new relationship between Europe and Africa.
According to Meloni, her country’s plan for Africa’s development will create jobs in the continent and discourage young people from leaving and attempting dangerous journeys across the Mediterranean Sea to reach Europe. The plan, named after founder of state-controlled and gas giant Eni Enrico Mattei, involves pilot projects in areas such as health care, water, sanitation, agriculture and infrastructure.
“It’s a cooperation of equals, far from any predatory temptation but also far from the charitable posture with Africa that rarely is reconciled with its extraordinary potential for development,” Meloni told the leaders.
African Union Commission Chairman Moussa Faki Mahamat said that African countries would have liked to have been consulted before Italy rolled out its plan. “We need to pass from words to deeds,” Faki, the former prime minister of Chad, said addressing the summit. “We cannot be happy with promises that are never maintained.”
Two dozen African leaders, top European Union and United Nations officials and representatives from international lending institutions are attending the event in Rome, the first major event of Italy’s G7 presidency.
Meloni has made curbing migration a priority of her government. But her first year in power saw a big jump in the numbers of people who arrived on Italy’s shores, with some 160,000 last year. (End)