- Debt relief could boost development in African countries caught in illegal migration of youth into the EU, Italian official states.
- Already, Italy is leading a spirited push for debt relief, targeting African countries.
- Italy’s Mattaei Plan seeks to convert some $270.67M of debt into development projects.
Debt relief maybe the solution to curbing illegal North Africa migration into Europe, officials in Italy have said. In a press statement issued at the start of the week, Italy said it is working with the European Union on a debt-relief plan for African countries, as part of its broader push to foster development on the continent and address the root causes of irregular migration.
“The entire 10-year operation will allow us to convert some 235 million euros ($270.67 million) of debt into development projects to be implemented locally,” Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, said.
According to the report, in addition to the EU-led efforts, Italy is advancing its strategic framework, the Mattei Plan for Africa, which aims to accelerate growth in agriculture, energy, and infrastructure across African nations.
In an effort to counter China’s Belt and Road Initiative, the European Union is pushing forward its Global Gateway strategy to foster sustainable, high-standard investment across Africa.
“One of the flagship projects under this collaboration is funding for a new transport corridor connecting Angola’s Lobito port with Zambia and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, a crucial mineral export route,” reads the report in part.
“Investing in infrastructure is not just building railways, bridges and dams. It is also investing in training for local workers because that builds capacity and that is how transfer of expertise happens,” Meloni went on to explain.
He said, should the initiative be successful, then it will have positive results all across the local economies of Africa. Generally speaking, Prime Minister Meloni also stressed the urgency of addressing Africa’s growing debt burden itself. He warned that the ballooning debt could easily undermine all other efforts toward inclusive and sustainable development if left unaddressed.
In her comments on the subject, president of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen said; “There is no better example than our work on the Lobito corridor.”
Seconding the Prime Minister, the EU president revealed that a new initiative is being developed to reduce the debt load of low- and middle-income African countries by up to 50 per cent.
While she did not provide specific details, she emphasized that addressing debt was central to Italy’s broader strategy for fostering long-term growth and stability in Africa, the report said.
EU, Italy funding to ease Africa’s debt
Italy and the EU have unveiled a total commitment of €1.2 billion to support development initiatives as part of the debt relief. The funding is under both the EU’s Global Gateway strategy and Italy’s Mattei Plan for Africa development.
According to another press report, the funding is part of the strategic partnership that will be under review during the Global Gateway Forum in Brussels on October 9–10, 2025.
This will be the second edition of the Global Gateway Forum which will build on the success of the inaugural Forum in 2023.
The forum serves as a platform to highlight the European Union’s external investment initiatives, this year’s event will focus on advancing global connectivity in the face of geopolitical and geoeconomic challenges, reads the press report.
“The Forum will bring together high-level representatives from governments, financial institutions, the private sector, and civil society to explore innovative strategies for scaling up Global Gateway investments in partner countries,” it says.
The ambitious initiative combines economic partnerships, energy security, and sustainable development.
According to the press release; “It offers an alternative to traditional aid models. Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni outlined 2025 goals for internationalisation and Europeanisation.”
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Tanzania joins Italy’s Mattei Plan
The Mattei Plan was initially launched with nine African nations, but now adds five new members Angola, Ghana, Mauritania, Tanzania, and Senegal. The additions were announced by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni during a press conference with the National Order of Journalists and Italy’s Parliamentary Press Association earlier this month.
She underlined the plan’s increasing momentum and its international resonance, which she said means the EU acknowledges debt relief as a solution for Africa development. She described the Mattei Plan as a “new approach to Africa,” stressing its tangible results and again, its core pillar been Africa debt relief.
According to the PM, so far, projects have been implemented in all nine initial partner nations, and the program is now ready for further growth.
“This will involve not only the inclusion of additional countries but also the internationalisation of the initiative, starting with the G7,” she added. The Mattei Plan is named after Italian energy pioneer Enrico Mattei, the initiative reflects Italy’s commitment to fostering development and cooperation across Africa.
“It focuses on economic partnerships, energy security, and sustainable development, presenting an alternative to traditional aid models,” the PM elaborated. Meloni outlined two primary goals for 2025: Internationalising and Europeanizing the Mattei Plan.
She said the aim is to align the initiative with broader European and G7 strategies and collaborate with partners to enhance its impact continent-wide. She pointed out that debt relief is working and cited deepening economic ties with Angola plays a pivotal role in the plan’s next phase.
Notably, Italian exports to Angola rose sharply in 2023, reaching €72.2 million, up from €45 million the previous year, signalling a strengthening trade relationship.
“The strategic presence of Italian energy giant Eni is vital as Angola emerges from an oil-related recession,” the PM said.
“This partnership was reinforced by Angolan President João Lourenço’s visit to Rome in 2024, which included high-level meetings and a business forum hosted by Confindustria-Assafrica,” she concluded underlining the importance of debt relief for Africa development.
