Italy's Mattei Plan strengthens EU-Africa partnership - VdL

(see related) (ANSA) - ROME, JAN 29 - Italy's Mattei Plan to create strategic partnerships with African countries strengthens existing cooperation between the European Union and Africa, European Commission President Ursula Von der Leyen said on Monday.
    "I am very grateful to Italy for putting cooperation with Africa at the heart of its foreign policy and of the G7 presidency," Von der Leyen told the Italy-Africa summit in Rome.
    "The new Mattei Plan is an important contribution to this new phase of our partnership with Africa and complements our European Global Gateway" project that aims to mobilize 150 billion euro in funding to support the green and digital transitions in Africa, she added.
    "The interests and destinies of Africa and Europe are aligned more than ever before," continued the EC chief, pointing to clean energy, the fight against the climate crisis, employment, and preventing the loss of life along migration routes by addressing the root causes of migration and combatting people smugglers. (ANSA).