Italy's Meloni Announces Plan to Invest in African Energy, Curb Migration

Facts

• Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni hosted African leaders on Monday, as she opened a summit aimed at boosting economic development throughout Africa and stemming migration to Europe.¹
• Opening the summit, Meloni announced a plan to invest €5.5B($5.9B) in sectors across Africa to boost energy production. Named after the founder of Italy’s state-owned energy company Eni, the Mattei Plan will focus on African energy, agriculture, water, health, and education.²
• Addressing more than 20 African leaders and top EU officials, Meloni announced renewable energy projects from Morocco to Ethiopia and Kenya that will boost Africa’s economy and create stronger ties between the continent and Europe, a plan Meloni says is neither “predatory” nor “charitable.”³
• The summit marked Italy’s first major event as the Group of Seven president, and it builds on Italy’s plan to reduce migration by building up the economies of migrant source countries. Meloni added that a goal of the initiative is to secure 'the right to not be forced to emigrate.”⁴
• After winning power in Oct. 2022, Meloni noted the importance of weaning Europe off Russian gas following its invasion of Ukraine. She also campaigned heavily on limiting migration from Africa and the Middle East.⁵
• Italy has also made deals with other countries to curb migration, including Albania and Tunisia. On Monday, Albania’s Constitutional Court ruled that a deal to create processing centers for Italy-bound migrants who have been rescued at sea can go to a parliamentary vote.⁴

Sources: ¹FOX News, ²France 24, ³ABC News, ⁴Associated Press and ⁵Guardian.

Narratives

• Right narrative, as provided by Le Monde.fr. Giorgia Meloni is showing bold leadership as she looks to boost investment in Africa, strengthening its energy sector while also addressing root causes of migration to Europe. Meloni’s ambitious plan focuses on partnership with Africa and treats the continent’s countries as equals without being predatory or patronizing. In addition to boosting growth in Africa, the plan also looks to create alternative energy hubs that will reduce Europe’s reliance on Russia. While Meloni’s plan certainly has a lot of moving parts, it should be commended for its focus on improving relations between many different countries and improving the lives of millions of people.
• Left narrative, as provided by POLITICO. While Italy's plan to invest in Africa certainly is ambitious, there are plenty of reasons to be skeptical about Meloni's motives and the proposals' potential efficacy. Meloni’s far-right government vaulted to power with its anti-migrant rhetoric, and it seems that she is now trying to pay off countries to stem migration. Moreover, while she says that she views African countries as equals, it is hard to not see her desire to grow African energy as a neocolonial project that exploits Africa’s resources for the benefit of Europe. We should hold our breath before applauding Meloni’s new Africa plan.

Predictions