Policy Updates

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Italy launches US$1 billion partnership to promote global citizenship

February 26, 2024 | Italy, Climate | Share this update

On February 26, 2024, AICS and the Italian Ministry of Environment and Energy Security entered a Collaboration Agreement, totaling EUR982 million (US$1 billion), to finance pathways of transformative promotion and awareness-raising for sustainable development and global citizenship through 2027.

The funding is intended to support the experimentation of collaborative modalities among different institutional, research, and non-state actors.

The partnership was described as pivotal to fully implementing Italy's National Strategy for Sustainable Development and the Strategy for Education for Global Citizenship.

Press release - The Italian Agency for Development Cooperation (in Italian)

Italy launches US$6 billion 'Mattei Plan' at Africa-Italy Summit

January 29, 2024 | Italy, Education, Agriculture, Agricultural R&D, Maternal, Newborn, and Child Health, WASH & Sanitation, Global Health, Climate, Nutritious Food Systems | Share this update

On January 28 and 29, 2024, Italy hosted the Africa-Italy Summit, chaired by the Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, during which 25 African leaders and diplomats joined Italian and EU leaders to launch the pilot programs of Italy's flagship foreign policy initiative, also known as the Mattei Plan for Africa.

Meloni announced EUR5.5 billion (US$6 billion) in credits, grants, and guarantees under the plan. EUR3 billion (US$3.3 billion) will come from the Italian Climate Fund, as announced at COP28, and EUR2.5 billion (US$2.7 billion) will come from the newly created multilateral fund at the African Development Bank.

Rome identified a set of countries in the SSA and North African regions to begin implementing the plan, and noted aims to expand the list. Among the first projects announced were:

  • A large vocational training center on renewable energy in Morocco;
  • Education projects in Tunisia; and
  • Health accessibility in the Ivory Coast.

Other projects are planned in Algeria, Egypt, Ethiopia, Kenya, Mozambique, and the DRC.

Priority areas of intervention were announced as:

  • Education and training: Interventions will be aimed to promote training teachers, adjusting curricula, launching new vocational and training courses in line with the needs of the labor market, and collaborating with enterprises, particularly involving Italian operators and the Italian SMEs model;
  • Agriculture: Interventions will be aimed at decreasing malnutrition rates, fostering the development of agri-food supply chains, and supporting the development of non-fossil biofuels. The development of family farming, the preservation of forestry, and combating and adapting to climate change through integrated agriculture are considered fundamental;
  • Health: Interventions will be aimed to promote strengthening health systems, improving accessibility and quality of primary MNCH services, strengthening local capacities for the management, training, and employment of health personnel, research, and digitalization, and developing strategies and systems to prevent and contain health threats, particularly pandemics and natural disasters; and
  • Energy: Interventions will be aimed to make Italy an energy hub, acting as a bridge between Europe and Africa. Interventions will feature the climate-energy nexus to strengthen energy efficiency and the use of renewable energies, with initiatives to accelerate energy transition.
  • Water: interventions will involve drilling wells powered by photovoltaic systems, maintenance of pre-existing water points, investments in distribution networks, and awareness-raising activities about using clean, potable water.
Press release - Italy's government (in Italian)

Italy signs memorandum to support CO2 reduction and adaptation in Ethiopia

December 2, 2023 | Italy, Climate | Share this update

On December 2, 2023, at COP28, Italy signed a Memorandum of Understanding underlining future climate cooperation between Italy and Ethiopia, which committed approximately EUR7 million (US$8 million) from Italy's Ministry of Environment and Energy Security to projects for CO2 reduction and climate adaptation.

The signing occurred during a meeting between Italian Minister of Environment and Energy Security Gilberto Pichetto-Fratin and Ethiopian Minister of Planning and Development Fitsum Assefa.

Press release - Ministry of Environment and Energy Security (in Italian)

Team Europe pledges US$21.8 billion for clean energy at COP28

December 2, 2023 | Sweden, France, Spain, Netherlands, Germany, Italy, EUI, Climate | Share this update

On December 2, 2023, the EU institutions, the EIB, the EBRD, and the Member States that comprise Team Europe pledged EUR20 billion (US$21.8 billion) for clean energy partnerships with African partners.

The funding announcement listeed EUR3.4 billion (US$3.7 billion) in grants and covered the period from 2021-2027. The project, AEGEI, aims to produce over 50 Gigawatts of renewable energy by 2030.

12 EU Member States contributed to the funding. No language regarding specific partner countries was included in the announcement.

Press release - EU Commission

Italy pledges US$109 million for Loss and Damage Fund, recommits to US$328 million for GCF

December 1, 2023 | Italy, Climate | Share this update

On December 1, 2023, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni attended the Global Stocktake high-level panel on adaptation at COP28 and announced that Italy will contribute EUR100 million (US$109 million) to the Loss and Damage Fund benefitting nations most vulnerable to climate change, a figure that surpassed the pledges of both Germany and the UAE and equalled that of France.

Meloni stated she will work to double adaptation finance by 2025, as committed at COP26 in 2021. She emphasized the essential role of MDBs in climate finance and highlighted the need for reform, stressing that the G7 will play a key role.

Meloni also attended the high-level segment for Heads of State and Government. She announced that Italy would continue to support the GCF in the next cycle and confirmed previous commitments totaling EUR300 million (US$328 million).

Speech - Italian GovernmentSpeech - Italian Government

Italian Parliament adopts resolution committing to 0.7% ODA/GNI, 50% climate goal

November 27, 2023 | Italy, Climate | Share this update

On November 27, 2023, the Italian Parliament adopted a COP28 resolution, signed by 19 Italian MPs from all parties in the majority coalition, committing to 0.7% ODA/GNI with half of ODA dedicated to tackling climate change.

MP Piergiorgio Cortellazzo promoted the resolution from the major coalition and the governing Forza Italia, which is the party of Minister of Environment and Energetic Security Gilberto Picchetto Fratin and Vice Prime Minister and Minister of International Affairs and International Cooperation Antonio Tajani.

Government document - Italian Parliament (in Italian)

Italy approves ODA allocations, initiatives, additional resources for Ukraine and Palestine

November 22, 2023 | Italy, Global Health, Agricultural R&D, Nutritious Food Systems, Climate | Share this update

On November 22, 2023, the Italian Joint Development Cooperation Committee approved additional resources to mitigate the effects of war on Ukrainian and Palestinian civilians, totalling EUR17 million (US$18 million) for Ukraine and EUR5 million (US$5 million) for Palestine.

The committee also approved a package of initiatives, including EUR8 million (US$8.7 million) for Africa, focusing on food security, health, education, and training aimed at professional improvement.

Resources for Tunisia were approved at a total of EUR3 million (US$3 million) for 2024, an increase compared to 2023 programming. Italy has emphasized Tunisia as a priority partner.

The committee voted to approve the channeled allocation of EUR998 million (US$1 billion) in funds for development cooperation initiatives in 2024. The allocations detailed:

  • EUR537 million (US$586 million) to bilateral cooperation;
  • EUR271 million(US$295 million) to emergency funding; and
  • EUR190 million (US$207 million) to multilateral cooperation.

The committee also approved a contribution of EUR2 million(US$2 million) for the Balkan region to strengthen disaster preparedness and response capacities in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Finally, the Committee gave a favorable opinion on two initiatives proposed by Cassa Depositi e Prestiti, which included:

  • Financing projects related to the agricultural and agribusiness supply chain through the West African Development Bank; and
  • Refinancing of a line of credit in Latin America and the Caribbean in support of investments in the environmental sector and the fight against climate change.
Government document - Info cooperazione (in Italian)

Italy defines Mattei Plan governance

November 3, 2023 | Italy, Education, Agriculture, Gender Equality, Agricultural R&D, Nutritious Food Systems, Climate, Global Health | Share this update

On November 3rd, the Italian Council of the Ministries approved the decree that defined the governance and the scope of the four-year Mattei Plan.

The Mattei Plan will aim to strengthen collaborative initiatives between Italy and African states to identify, define, and implement initiatives in the following areas:

  • International cooperation;
  • Imports, exports, and the promotion of investments;
  • Education, R&D, and innovation;
  • Global health;
  • Agriculture and food security;
  • Sustainable supply and use of natural resources, including water and energy;
  • Environmental protection and adaptation;
  • Modernization of infrastructure, including digital infrastructure;
  • Support for entrepreneurship, in particular, youth and women's entrepreneurship;
  • Tourism and culture; and
  • Prevention and countering of irregular migration and management of legal migration flows.

The decree established a Steering Committee, chaired by the Prime Minister, with the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation as vice-chairman. Included in the committee were other head ministers, the Deputy Ministers of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, the Deputy Minister of Industry and Made in Italy, the President of the Conference of Regions and Autonomous Provinces, the director of AICS, the President of the ITA, representatives from Italian MDBs, and representatives from publicly-owned enterprises, universities, civil society, and private entities.

The decree established that the Prime Minister's office would host the secretariat of the Mattei Plan. The secretariat will support the President to implement and coordinate the Mattei Plan and its updates, as well as lead the secretariat of the Steering Committee and prepare an annual report to Parliament.

Press release - Italian Government (in Italian)

Italy budget draft allocates US$633 million to Mattei plan

October 29, 2023 | Italy, Climate | Share this update

On October 29, 2023, it was revealed that Italy's 2024 draft budget established a new "Italian Fund for Horizontal Cooperation for Africa" under the auspices of the Mattei Plan, allocating EUR600 million (US$633 million) to the plan through 2026.

The budget draft has been approved by the Council of Ministers and was sent to the Chamber for debate prior to a final vote by the end of 2023. Experts noted that the economic endowment to Africa appears limited compared to the ambitions voiced by Italy in the months preceding the draft's release.

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni previously announced that the Mattei Plan will also be funded by the 70% of the resources allocated to the Italian Climate Fund, equivalent to EUR3 million (US$3 million). Management of the fund will fall under the Presidency of the Council of Ministers.

The draft showed that priority funding will be given to projects in the agricultural and solar photovoltaic sectors. It further prescribed the adoption of a regulation that will define the operation of the new fund by November 2023. The draft also called for the adoption of regulations to define the accreditation of entities able to present projects to the government, as well as modalities for ascertaining consumer preferences.

Government document - Corriere della Sera (in Italian)

Itay announces 70% of climate fund to be allocated to Africa via Mattei Plan

October 13, 2023 | Italy, Climate | Share this update

On October 13, 2023, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni announced during her official visit to the DRC and Mozambique, that 70% of the Italian Climate Fund, or EUR3 million (US$3.2 million), would be directed to Africa.

Meloni noted that the resources would be used to fund the Mattei Plan, a package of public-private initiatives to support development in Africa to be announced in January 2024 at the Italy-Africa Summit. The summit was initially planned for November 2023, but was later postponed.

The opposition, notably the Green Party and the Left, opposed diverting Climate Fund resources to the Mattei Plan.

The Fund is managed by prominent Italian development bank Cassa Depositi e Prestiti, and has a budget of EUR840 million (US$890 million) annually from 2022-2027.

Speech - Italian government (in Italian)

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US$ amounts are cited directly from sources; in the absence of an official conversion, they are calculated using the previous week's average of the US Federal Reserve's daily exchange rates.

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