‘Meloni wants to present Italy as the new European face in Africa’
Al Jazeera
Italy’s Meloni, whose Africa development plan has drawn criticism, has pushed for the continent to be a central theme at G7.
Bari, Italy – Africa is set to be high on Italy’s agenda this year at the Group of Seven (G7) leaders’ meeting, as Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni aims to position the country as a key energy hub between Europe and the continent.
But whether there is a clear vision and economic resources to do so remains to be seen, experts have warned.
A dozen heads of state are expected to attend the three-day forum, which starts Thursday in the southern region of Puglia, to discuss global politics.
Africa, climate change and development are up as the first themes of the initial G7 session.
Signalling Meloni’s outreach ambitions, a relatively high number of guests from the Global South have been invited to this year’s forum.