The 2026 Italy-Africa Summit, held in Addis Ababa alongside the African Union Summit, marks the implementation phase of the Mattei Plan for Africa. Two years after its launch, the Plan is transitioning from commitments to concrete delivery, with partners reviewing progress and ensuring alignment with African priorities. The African Development Bank Group (AfDB) remains Italy’s strategic financial partner, supporting Africa-led implementation and leveraging the African Development Fund to extend benefits to low-income and fragile countries. AfDB President Dr Sidi Ould Tah emphasized that the focus is on delivering solutions that respond to Africa’s priorities and generate tangible benefits.
Launched at the January 2024 Italy-Africa Summit with an initial commitment of EUR 5.5 billion, the Mattei Plan represents a shift toward investment-led, partnership-based cooperation. Through its financing instruments, convening power, and project pipeline, the Bank Group is supporting implementation in 14 African countries, deploying capital, strengthening infrastructure, and creating opportunities for both public and private investors. Key initiatives focus on economic growth, climate resilience, and development impact across multiple sectors.
A central feature of this cooperation is the Rome Process/Mattei Plan Financing Facility, a multi-donor special fund approved by the AfDB Board in February 2025. Italy anchored the Facility with EUR 100 million, supplemented by contributions from the United Arab Emirates and Denmark, highlighting the growing and diversified donor base. In 2025, the Facility approved four operations totaling EUR 28 million, supporting projects such as climate-resilient water access in Ethiopia, agricultural infrastructure in Angola, renewable energy development in Mauritania, and clean cooking solutions in Kenya.
The Mattei Plan also aligns with regional integration projects supported by the Bank, exemplified by the Lobito Corridor railway linking Zambia and Angola. Italy has committed USD 300 million to this corridor alongside the United States, reinforcing infrastructure development that connects mineral-rich regions to the Atlantic coast. According to Lorenzo Ortona, Head of the Mattei Plan Task Force, the Facility translates shared goals into tangible projects that drive economic growth and climate resilience across the continent.
Italy’s longstanding partnership with the African Development Fund, including EUR 3.1 billion in cumulative contributions, underpins the Plan’s financing approach. The Mattei Plan leverages concessional and blended finance, technical assistance, and capacity building to help countries access additional sources of financing. Complementary platforms such as the Growth and Resilience Platform for Africa, the Alliance for Green Infrastructure in Africa, and the Sustainable Energy Fund for Africa reinforce private sector investment and support Africa’s green transition.
Overall, the Mattei Plan has emerged as a model for strategic cooperation between Africa, Italy, and international partners. By combining structured development finance, private investment, and policy dialogue, the partnership demonstrates how coordinated efforts can deliver results at scale, supporting African priorities, sustainable growth, and shared prosperity.
