President Ruto supports Italy's Africa plan despite funding backlash

William Ruto gave his approval to Italy's plan for enhanced collaboration with Africa.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni revealed an investment plan (Mattei Plan) of over €5.5 billion ($5.9 billion) to fortify Italian ties with Africa.
Some critics derided the small scale of projects.

On Monday, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni revealed an investment plan (Mattei Plan) of over €5.5 billion ($5.9 billion) to fortify Italian ties with Africa.

“The basis of the Mattei Plan is a new approach: non-predatory, non-paternalistic, but also not charitable. It’s an approach of equals, to grow together,” Meloni said in a post on X.

The Italian plan will be developed across five main policy pillars: energy, education and professional training, health, agriculture, and water.

However, some critics scoffed at the small scale of many of the projects, while the chairman of the African Union Commission reprimanded Meloni for not engaging in broader consultations on the priorities beforehand.

“African countries would have liked to have been consulted before Italy rolled out its plan,” he said during his address on Monday. “We cannot be happy with promises that are never maintained.”

He also said any agreement needed to be made on liberty and consensus with no party imposing anything on the other.

However, Kenyan President William Ruto told Reuters that the plan, known as the Mattei plan and named after the late founder of Italian energy giant Eni, was a positive beginning.

What President Ruto said:

"Every journey begins with one simple step. And I think that the most important step has been made, that we are recalibrating our relationship with Italy as a continent," Ruto said.

The Kenyan leader said it was especially relevant particularly as Italy held the rotating chair of the Group of Seven (G7) major Western powers. He expressed confidence in Prime Minister Meloni's commitment to advancing African interests during her presidency.

"The narrative around Africa was conflict, disease, war. Now it's changing. It is opportunity, investment, market and solutions," he said, dismissing any concerns about the financial stability of Kenya.