Italy’s Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni announced plans for an African energy cooperation deal starting in October during her visit to Ethiopia on Friday.
The “Mattei plan,” named after Enrico Mattei, the founder of the Italian energy giant Eni (ENI.MI), aspires to transform Italy into a major energy centre, transferring gas from North Africa and the Mediterranean to the rest of Europe.
Meloni stated that her government wanted to organize a conference with African states in October to outline the idea.
She says the “Mattei plan” will transform Italy into a major energy hub, taking gas from the Mediterranean and North Africa to European nations.
Instead of importing gas from Russia, Italy is increasingly doing so from Algeria and other African nations.
Ethiopia’s location on the migration route from the Horn of Africa to Europe, according to Italy’s ANSA daily, makes the “stability and integrity” of Ethiopia a priority for the national interest.
“I think it could be the right occasion to finally present our Mattei Plan,” she said in Addis Ababa, in comments broadcast by RAI public television.
Italy PM announces major gas plan on Ethiopia trip
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