Mattei Plan for Africa. Round Table at Associated Medias Headquarters on the Future of the Mattei Plan for Africa On February 4, at the headquarters of Associated Medias, a round table was held with industry experts, analysts, institutional representatives, and diplomats to assess the first year of the Mattei Plan for Africa and define its next steps.
A round table was held on February 4 at the headquarters of Associated Medias, bringing together industry professionals, analysts, institutional representatives, and diplomats to discuss the future of the Mattei Plan for Africa. This bold and revolutionary project introduced a new concept of “equal, non-predatory cooperation,” leveraging the continent’s vast potential and its destined role in the coming decades. Strongly advocated by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, the plan was launched on January 29 last year during an international summit hosted at the Senate.
New Entries
The event was introduced by Ambassador Francesco M. Talò of the International Strategic Network, alongside the host, Guido Talarico, director and publisher of AM. Among the panelists, Ambassador Lorenzo Ortona, Deputy Coordinator of the Mission Structure for the Mattei Plan, provided an update on the project’s progress and upcoming steps. Former Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Mario Giro, author of the first book entirely dedicated to Italy’s initiatives for and with Africa, outlined ways to enhance relations with African nations in light of the geopolitical changes taking place. Giorgio Traietti, Head of Marketing and Business Development at Itare Srl. discussed commercial sector opportunities to strengthen ties with African markets.The discussion highlighted that the Mattei Plan was taking shape. In this newly launched second phase, the number of partner countries expanded. By 2025, Angola, Ghana, Mauritania, Tanzania, and Senegal joined the existing partners: Tunisia, Algeria, Morocco, Egypt, Ethiopia, Ivory Coast, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Mozambique. These new entries significantly enhanced the plan’s reach across strategically important regions.
More Europe
Additionally, Prime Minister Meloni pushed for greater involvement from the European Union and G7 nations in the project, seeking increased funding. Originally structured as a five-year initiative with a total budget of €5.5 billion (€3 billion from the Italian Climate Fund and €2.5 billion from development cooperation resources), the plan utilized a series of government-prepared instruments. Two key bodies were established within the Presidency of the Council to ensure coordination and implementation: the “Control Room” and the Mission Structure. The “Control Room” chaired by the Prime Minister, included the Minister and Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, the Deputy Minister for Made in Italy, the Deputy Minister for Environment and Energy Security, the President of the Conference of Regions, the Director of ICE (Italian Trade Agency), the Director of the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation, and representatives from Cassa Depositi e Prestiti (CDP), SACE, and SIMEST. Business and civil society representatives also participated, including Acea, Snam, Fincantieri, Eni, Med-Or Foundation, Leonardo, Ferrovie dello Stato, Enel, Terna, Banca d’Italia, CNA, CIA, AOI, ANCE, CNSU, Confagricoltura, Coldiretti, Confartigianato, ANCI, CINI, the Community of Sant’Egidio, Confapi, Confcommercio, Confindustria, Conflavoro, Copari, CUI, FNTS, Link 2007, and the San Giovanni Bosco Foundation.The Mission Structure, led by a coordinator selected from the diplomatic corps, was organized into four offices, two of general managerial level and two of non-general level, supported by non-executive staff. This body assisted the Prime Minister and the Steering Committee, managed the Committee’s secretariat, and prepared annual reports.
The new steps
Within months, key components of the plan were launched. The GRAF investment platform was introduced in July, enabling CDP to sign an agreement with the African Development Bank (AfDB) on December 5 to mobilize up to €400 million for food security, SME growth, and sustainable infrastructure. Additionally, €350 million was expected to be raised through private equity and venture capital funds, bringing the total to €750 million. To facilitate investments, new representation offices opened in Nairobi and Abidjan.The Special Multilateral Fund was also established, with the UAE contributing €22.9 million as a key foreign donor. Meanwhile, SACE, the financial insurance group under the Ministry of Economy and Finance, signed an agreement last month with the African Development Bank Group to promote investments in Africa. SACE also guaranteed an initial €100 million loan to the Trade Development Bank (TDB) to support sustainable growth and regional integration, boosting export opportunities for Italian businesses. Leonardo played a leading role in the Mattei Plan with its “Smart Agriculture” project. This initiative focused on biodiversity protection and sustainable development in Egypt, Tunisia, Algeria, Morocco, Ivory Coast, Mozambique, the Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, and Kenya. Recently, a Leonardo delegation led by Chairman Stefano Pontecorvo visited Angola and Ivory Coast to offer Italian technological expertise in sectors such as agriculture, cybersecurity, digitalization, and healthcare.
Italy in The Lobito Corridor
On November 12, the government submitted the first annual report on the Mattei Plan to Parliament, which was reviewed by the relevant parliamentary committees. The 35-page document assessed the plan’s implementation and listed 21 projects, including four regional and transnational initiatives. Among these was the Lobito Corridor, a strategic infrastructure project also involving the United States. This initiative aimed to rebuild a 1,600-kilometer railway linking Kalumbila in northern Zambia to the Angolan coast via southern Congo. With an estimated cost of $1 billion, the project sought to improve the transport of minerals from Africa’s Copper Belt (Southern Congo, Northern Zambia) to Atlantic ports, attracting foreign investments in mining and refining. This move also countered China’s growing influence in Africa and its efforts to revive the TAZARA railway (Tanzania-Zambia Railway) while gaining control of Dar es Salaam port.
The guests
Present at the event, organized by Associated Medias together with the International Strategic Network, were Guido Talarico, CEO of Associatede Medias, Andrea Fossati, CDO. Among the guests were Massimo Cellini (In Opera), Giuseppe Romeo (Leonardo Group), Alberto Gambino (Pro-Rector of the European University), Alessia Cellitti (Quirinale), Alvaro Santos (Ambassador of Mozambique), 
Arrigo Montella (CEO of Finitaly), Donatella Scarpa (President of Ecolibrì), Guido Guidi (Head of International Institutional Affairs at Terna), Leonardo Montesi (Chairman of Tep Renewables Ltd.), Maurizio Romandini (Vice President Strategist at Multiversity), Pietro Zambaiti (of the Italia Corno d’Africa Association), Giangiacomo Barberini (of Mdba), Rosa Valletta (CEO of ES Institutional Relations), Simone Mori (CEO of Eneosis), Ambassador Francesco M. Talò (of the International Strategic Network), Giorgio Traietti (Head of Marketing and Business Development at Itare), Henri Okemba (Ambassador of the Republic of Congo), Lorenzo Ortona (Mission Structure for the Implementation of the Mattei Plan, Presidency of the Council of Ministers), Mario Giro (former Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation), Mohamed El Bechir El Hadj (Chargé d’Affaires, Counselor of the Embassy of Mauritania), Ngor Ndiaye (Ambassador of the Republic of Senegal), Désirée Grech (Sales Manager Italy, Ethiopian Airlines), Nogozene Bakayoko (Ambassador of the Republic of Côte d’Ivoire), Rose Sumbeiywo (Deputy Head of Mission of the Embassy of the Republic of Kenya), Demitu Hambisa Bonsa (Ambassador of Ethiopia), Teresa Emanuele (International Curator), Valeria Peddis (International Strategic Network), Ambassador Claudio Taffuri, Ambassador Giuseppe Morabito, Federica Mocci (Sales Executive Central and Southern Italy, Ethiopian Airlines), Nicolò Cremona (CEO of Haizum), Fabrizio Tomada, dirigente staff Ad-Gse and, from the International Strategic Network, Ambassadors Sebastiano Cardi, Giovanni Castellaneta, Ettore F. Sequi, Fabrizio Tomada, dirigente staff Ad-Gse and Gaetano Castellini Curiel.
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