Algerian Radio
ADDIS-ABEBA , The President of the Council of Ministers of the Italian Republic, Giorgia Meloni, called on Saturday in Addis-Abeba for "real" cooperation between Africa and Italy, based on "equality," expressing her country's ambition to remain a "privileged bridge" connecting Europe and Africa.
In a speech delivered at the opening of the 39th African Union Summit, she added that "cooperation is what Italy seeks."
Ms. Meloni, participating in this summit as a guest of honor, continued by stating that "real cooperation is cooperation that never stops," and which "will only exist within the framework of a relationship based on equality, a relationship where the specificities of each are essential to achieve a common goal."
She also mentioned that the second Italy-Africa Summit, held yesterday, Friday, in Addis-Abeba, enabled both sides to "discuss ways to strengthen one of the most concrete results of the idea of cooperation, represented by the Plan Mattei directed at Africa."
She added that "it concerns an open platform that allows harnessing our skills, technologies, and investments in the service of the goals defined by the African Union in Agenda 2063, starting with the creation of an integrated and prosperous continental free trade area."
Ms. Meloni further stated that "this ambitious goal requires effective, secure, and rapid economic interconnections for its realization," pointing in this regard to the Lobito Corridor, which serves as the railway and infrastructure backbone that will connect African markets to global markets.
She also noted that "the Plan Mattei is a comprehensive strategy that includes tangible benefits for our populations and aims to continuously expand its scope."
Finally, she announced the establishment of "special debt management programs to ensure the budgetary stability of the poorest countries," calling for a "grand alliance" between Africa and Italy to make "training, research, university, and innovation" the axis of "their shared commitment."
