Rome. Tanzania’s Vice President Dr Philip Mpango on Thursday June 19 represented President Samia Suluhu Hassan at the Africa–Italy Development Partnership Summit held at Villa Doria Pamphili in Rome.
The high-level forum, convened under the Mattei Plan and the European Union’s Global Gateway initiative, brought together African leaders, European institutions, and global financial organisations to discuss strategic investments in infrastructure, human capital, agriculture, and digital transformation across the continent.
Upon arrival at the summit, Dr Mpango was received by Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and joined by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.
Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Dr Mpango emphasised the transformative potential of the Mattei Plan and Global Gateway in accelerating inclusive development.
“This partnership offers tangible opportunities to advance infrastructure, enhance human capital, boost agricultural value chains, and promote digital innovation,” he said.
He noted that the summit focused on Africa’s priorities, with a commitment to implement practical and impactful projects.
In particular, discussions on value addition in agriculture—especially in the coffee sector—aim to increase returns for African producers and generate employment along the value chain.
“Tanzania, being the fourth-largest coffee exporter in Africa, stands to benefit significantly from initiatives that support value addition and market access,” he remarked.
The Vice President also highlighted the importance of investing in human capital as a sustainable measure to address the root causes of irregular migration.
“We need to create enabling conditions that allow African citizens to thrive at home, rather than seeking uncertain futures abroad,” he said.
Dr Mpango welcomed the Mattei Plan’s approach, which shifts from traditional aid to strategic joint investments that are expected to stimulate job creation and support structural transformation.
Key priority areas under the plan include energy, education, and agriculture, with €5.5 billion earmarked for the first phase of implementation.
Tanzania is among the 14 African countries identified by Italy as strategic partners under this framework.
The summit also underscored the role of renewable energy, improved transport corridors—including the Lobito Corridor—and emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence in driving Africa’s economic growth.
Meanwhile, the EU’s Global Gateway aims to mobilise €300 billion in global infrastructure investments by 2027, with half of that—€150 billion—allocated to Africa.
In this context, the EU expressed its commitment to extending the Blue Raman submarine cable project, which connects Europe to India, to include Tanzania, thereby strengthening East Africa’s integration into the global digital economy.
Participants at the summit included heads of state and government from Africa, representatives from the European Union, and senior officials from international financial institutions including the World Bank, International Monetary Fund (IMF), and the African Development Bank (AfDB).
Development partners, led by the EU and the Italian government, pledged financial support to fund various strategic projects under the two programmes.
Prior to the summit proceedings, he held talks with World Bank President Ajay Banga, highlighting the growing interest in deepening economic ties between Africa and global development partners.
