I live in Geneva, Switzerland, but my ancestry is Italian — all that I know of, anyway. My parents are migrants from Italy and I am a second-generation Italian. I also spent a few years in Italy during my university studies, and keep an eye on that beautiful boot-shaped piece of the world.

I was only half surprised when a couple of years ago, Giorgia Meloni was elected prime minister. To be honest, she wouldn’t have been my first choice. Yet many people around the world like her and, to her credit, Italy has not collapsed during her reign. At least, not yet.

Like many countries, Italy is grappling with serious issues. Concerns about illegal immigration are rising just as the indigenous Italian population is declining. Like many other European countries and even Asian ones like South Korea and Japan, Italy is facing a demographic crisis.

At the same time, Italy is facing a jobs crisis. Educated Italians such as engineers, doctors, scientists et al are leaving for countries like the United States, the United Kingdom and Germany to find jobs. Italians have a term for this phenomenon, la fuga dei cervelli, which literally means, “the flight of the brains.”

Politicians are responding in their own way to Italy’s many crises and, this week, I take a closer look at what Italian politicians are proposing.

Meloni with Mark Rutte, Ursula von der Leyen and Kais Saied signing Tunisian aid legislation and an agreement against illegal immigration. Via Wikimedia Commons.

Il Piano Mattei, The Mattei Plan

Meloni came to power on the promise of curbing immigration from Africa. She wanted to keep Africans in Africa. Meloni’s campaign embraced the principles of the Piano Mattei. It was a modern revival of former Italian public administrator Enrico Mattei’s postwar doctrine that aimed to return Italy to its historic role as a central actor in Mediterranean geopolitics. 

In the 1950s and 1960s, Italy tried to become a key player in the Mediterranean energy markets. Meloni’s campaign envisaged a return to this role by becoming an energy hub linking Europe and North Africa. Her campaign drew upon Mattei’s legacy and called for energy independence from Russia, championing national sovereignty and international clout.

Recently, Meloni clearly signaled that her strategy towards North Africa was not just a campaigning slogan, but a long-term percorso estremamente concreto (extremely concrete path). “In Africa si gioca il nostro futuro. Italia e Ue possono fare la differenza” (“In Africa, our future is at stake. Italy and the EU can make a difference”), said the Italian prime minister.

Source: Meloni al vertice sul Piano Mattei: “Gli accordi firmati oggi valgono 1,2 miliardi di impegni concreti” | Il Foglio

Meloni’s Rome summit yielded over €1.2 billion (over $1.4 billion) in new commitments:

 “Gli accordi firmati oggi valgono 1,2 miliardi di euro di impegni concreti.” (“The agreements signed today are worth €1.2 billion in concrete commitments.”)

Source: Vertice su Piano Mattei e Global Gateway: cinque accordi per l’Africa – Fortune Italia 

Meloni emphasized that this summit is part of a sustained effort, not a fleeting event. She announced a trip to Ethiopia in July and a second Italy–Africa summit in early 2026 to push for the plan’s implementation.

Source: Piano Mattei, Meloni: «Italiani ed europei chiamati a fare la differenza per l’Africa» | Corriere.it 

Is Italy’s Mattei Plan good for Africa? 

As we like to do at Fair Observer, I’ve been looking for African perspectives on this plan. I found two interesting takes, one by a young reporter and another by an older commentator. You can find both of them below.

Source: IS ITALY’S MATTEI PLAN GOOD FOR AFRICA?  – Hillary Panashe

Source: Speech by H.E. Moussa Faki Mahamat, Chairperson of the African Union Commission, at the Italy – Africa Summit: A Bridge for Common Growth | African Union

I have a personal question about Meloni’s plan. It budgets €5.5 billion (over $6.4 billion), which is a mix of existing climate and development funds. This is modest compared to Italy’s budget and to Africa’s needs. The publication La Bottega del Barbieri notes that Italy’s total development aid amounts to just €4.5 billion (over $5.2 billion) annually, which is merely 0.20% of GDP, far below the 0.70% UN target.

What will this money achieve? Build a gas pipeline across the Mediterranean? Start a few schools, which will keep Africans in Africa and out of Italy? Are Meloni and other European politicians really addressing core issues or just engaging in cheap public relations?

Source: Piano Mattei fra mito e realtà – La Bottega del Barbieri 

Meloni’s boasts that this is “not [a] top-down initiative” are clearly untrue. Analysts and non-governmental organizations point out that her plan was conceived with minimal involvement from African leaders or civil society actors. La Bottega del Barbieri emphasizes its “top-down” nature, noting that Rome sets the agenda and involves many Italian corporate actors. Notably, the plan lacks meaningful local ownership. The think tank Centro Studi di Politica Internazionale warns that this approach risks treating African nations as passive recipients, not strategic partners, continuing a long colonial tradition.

Source: Italia e Africa: il Piano Mattei può farcela? | CeSPI 

A summit in Rome and serious critics 

The Rome summit on June 20 brought together Meloni, EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and several African leaders. However, the event involved more shadows than light. The focus was on Africa’s vast energy resources. Some critics argue the initiative resembles an approccio coloniale (colonial approach) rather than a genuine partnership. 

While von der Leyen praised the summit as part of a “new paradigm” fostering EU–Africa cooperation, the article calls attention to this rhetoric’s ambiguous and selective nature. Italy’s heavy focus on energy deals and limited transparency in funding these projects does not inspire confidence.

Source: Il ritorno del Piano Mattei: l’approccio coloniale di Meloni-von der Leyen – Domani Editoriale

I have a lot more to say, but my garden beckons. If you like this Sunday newsletter, please share it with your friends and family. They can sign up for our newsletters here.

Wishing you a thoughtful week,

Roberta Campani

Communications & Outreach