Us and Africa

One year after the launch of the Mattei Plan by the Italian Government, Mario Giro, of the Community of Sant’Egidio and former Undersecretary of Foreign Affairs and Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, presents the publication Mattei Plan: how Italy returns to Africa. A text that deserves to be read: by reporting the contributions of various authors, the attempt is to understand how Italy can become a true partner for the challenges that many African countries are facing. Starting from migratory flows and the changes induced by deglobalization and ongoing wars, from Chinese and Russian neocolonialism and the persistent theft exercised by multinationals, Africa is looking for an autonomy that allows it to make its own choices independently.

At the conference to present the publication, various aspects emerged from the invited speakers that the volume brings out. For example, the emphasis on the profound changes taking place in African countries as well as in Italy and Europe, such as the aging of the population and the demographic winter. The vision of young Africans and their dynamism that obviously is not taken into account by those who continue to apply stereotypes of the past. Taking into account what Africa has given to the world.

Unfortunately, we must admit that Italian journalism is rather weak in following African events. We must not forget the free and equal, non-welfare presence of many Italian non-profit organizations. The Mattei plan, which bears the name of a great inspirer of the economic partnership between Italy and some Mediterranean countries, intends to involve above all small and medium-sized Italian businesses. In short, Italy is looking for a new leading role. I gladly recall in this sense the commitment of Giovanni Bersani, Italian and European parliamentarian, for the bridge built in his time within the European Union with the countries of Africa, the Caribbean and the Pacific, the so-called Lomé Convention. So the invitation is to inform ourselves because we, Italians and Europeans, and Africa are linked by a common future that must be built with creativity, respect, listening, dialogue, mutual interests. Committing ourselves to contain as much as possible the sellers of fear, from institutional levels to associative levels, and obviously the mass media.


Gianfranco Cattai
NP February 2025