Italy aims for energy bridge role between Europe and Africa

Italy has set out a new plan to boost European ties with Africa. Energy will play a particular role in its plans.

© Supplied by Italian presidency

Italian President Giorgia Meloni said there were five priorities: education and training; health; agriculture; water and energy. On the energy front, the talk was primarily of clean energy.

According to a document setting out the five pillars of the “Mattei plan”, the project would make Italy an energy hub. It would become a “real bridge between Europe and Africa”.

There was talk of boosting renewable energy generation, with similar support for transmission and distribution.

“The plan also provides for the on-site development of technologies applied to energy also through the institution of innovation centres, where Italian companies will be able to select local start-ups and thus support employment”.

Minister of the Environment and Energy Security Gilberto Pichetto said discussions in the Senate today had focused on a bridge, between Italy and Africa. Italy, he said, would invest in strengthening “Africa’s energy potential”, with new interconnections across the Mediterranean Sea.

Meloni gave as an example a plan for Morocco. Italy plans to support a centre of excellence to train people on renewable energy.

“Italy has all it takes to become the natural energy supply hub for the whole of Europe,” said Meloni. “It is a goal that we can achieve if we use energy as the key to development for everyone. “

Italian investment would aim to bolster African energy production to meet domestic needs and export the surplus to Europe. Such a move, she said, would meet two needs. Africa needs to develop domestically and generate wealth, while Europe needs “to secure new energy supply routes”.

Project focus

The president singled out two projects in particular as delivering African power to European demand. She pointed to the the 600 MW ELMED HVDC submarine cable, which will run from Tunisia to Sicily.

The second was the proposed H2 Southern Corridor, which would carry hydrogen from North Africa into Europe, via Italy.

“As you can see, I wanted to talk about concrete projects and initiatives, capable of generating a significant and immediate impact in the countries in which they will be implemented” and with scope for expansion, she said.

Corrierre della Sera reported that Italy would provide 5.5 billion euros, through financing and guarantees for the Mattei plan.

Linked to Meloni’s aspirations are hopes around tackling illegal immigration from North Africa. Creating jobs in Africa would give people the “right not to be forced to emigrate, and thus not have to cut off one’s roots, in search of a better life that is increasingly difficult to achieve in Europe”, she said.