A plan for Africa

We would like to anticipate some of the contents of this much-cited Piano Mattei, but it is not possible because for now nothing is apparent. Of course there were the days in Rome both on migration and on the food commitment. Not only.

The speech by Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani published by Avvenire last July 26 summarizes positions on which we strongly agree. In summary, the minister underlines that there is no possibility of combating irregular flows without addressing the root causes that push populations to move. He then cites four points to pursue this goal. First: a model based on initiatives to fight poverty and social protection, to create jobs and skills training, guarantee essential services and fight together against climate change. Second: the fight against irregular immigration must take into account that there are underlying global challenges to be faced collectively and in a shared way. Third: promoting legal mobility towards Europe and integration processes. Fourth point: establish safe routes based on the humanitarian corridor model. So far, so good. From personal experience I can say: «Easier said than done!» but this does not prevent the hope that our country will finally be able to relaunch the sense of international cooperation so well codified in law 125 of 2014.

However, there are some considerations to make.
The first concerns the quality of the agreement with Tunisia: we agree with what some representatives of the NGO world have written: agreements of shame. Not so much for what they foresee, but for what they don't foresee. As with the agreement with Libya, therefore another government. Why nothing about human rights? Have we failed to propose anything in this sense to these governments? The dramatic photos that have been making the rounds in the past few weeks need no comment.
The second consideration concerns public aid for Italian development which is only 0.32% of gross national income, well below the objective of 0.70% established in the 2030 Agenda. There is a campaign in this sense: why the Government is not intervening?
The third concerns the lack of exchange and involvement of the so-called third sector and NGOs of our country which in recent years have continued to engage on different fronts and in different countries.
The fourth, finally, lies in the fact that the foundations of the Mattei Plan are already there and we need to recognize them, enhance them and make them become a system. Of course, maybe not just this. I hope that soon we can write, ensuring concreteness and rapid times for new paths of relations between peoples and countries. Because, we have seen for ourselves, when you are desperate nothing can stop you.


Gianfranco Cattai
NP August / September 2023