Italy aims to serve as an energy bridge between Europe and Africa

Italy has launched new plans to strengthen ties between Europe and Africa. Energy will play a special role in that plan.

© Provided by the Italian Presidency

Italian President Giorgia Meloni said there were five priorities. health; agriculture; water and energy. In terms of energy, talks were mainly about clean energy.

The project aims to turn Italy into an energy hub, according to a document setting out the five pillars of the Mattei Plan. It will be a “true bridge between Europe and Africa”.

There was talk of similar support for electricity transmission and distribution to encourage renewable energy generation.

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

Gilberto Pichet, Minister of the Environment and Energy Security, said today’s debate in the Senate focused on the bridge between Italy and Africa. He said Italy would invest in strengthening “Africa’s energy potential” with new interconnections across the Mediterranean.

Meloni cited Morocco’s plans as an example. Italy plans to support centers of excellence to train people in renewable energy.

“Italy has everything it needs to become a renewable energy supply hub for the whole of Europe,” Meloni said. “This is an achievable goal if we use energy as the key to development for all.”

Italy’s investment will aim to boost Africa’s energy production to meet domestic demand and export surplus to Europe. She said such a move would meet two needs. Africa needs domestic development and wealth creation, while Europe needs to “secure new energy supply routes.”

project focus

The President singled out two projects in particular as providing African electricity for European needs. She pointed to the 600 MW ELMED HVDC submarine cable, which runs from Tunisia to Sicily.

The second is the proposed H2 Southern Corridor, which would transport hydrogen from North Africa to Europe via Italy.

“As you can see, I wanted to talk about specific projects and initiatives that can have an immediate and significant impact on the countries where they are implemented, and that also have scope for expansion,” she said. .

Corriere della Sera newspaper reported that Italy would provide 5.5 billion euros in loans and guarantees for the Mattei plan.

Meloni’s aspirations involve hopes for tackling illegal immigration from North Africa. Creating jobs in Africa would give people “the right not to be forced to migrate in search of a better life and therefore not to be cut off from their roots, which is increasingly difficult to achieve in Europe.” She said it would be done.