The Promise and Impact of the Mattei Plan–Global Gateway Alignment
On June 20, 2025, a high-level summit in Rome marked a significant milestone in Africa-Europe relations. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced the formal alignment of Italy’s Mattei Plan with the European Union’s Global Gateway initiative, joined by African heads of state, international financial institutions, and private sector leaders. This strategic union aims to reshape supply chains, investment, and partnership across Africa, with far-reaching implications for Africa, Europe, and the United States.
What Is the Alignment and Why Does It Matter?
The Mattei Plan, introduced by Italy in 2024, is designed to foster partnerships and sustainable investment in Africa, targeting sectors like infrastructure, energy, agriculture, education, and digital connectivity. The EU’s €300 billion Global Gateway strategy seeks to mobilize €150 billion for Africa by 2027, focusing on smart, clean, and secure infrastructure. Aligning these two initiatives allows Europe to pool resources and expertise, moving away from a donor-recipient model toward genuine co-ownership and co-investment.
This move is a direct response to global competition for influence in Africa, where China’s Belt and Road Initiative and the US-backed Partnership for Global Infrastructure and Investment (PGII) are also active. The Mattei Plan–Global Gateway approach distinguishes itself through a commitment to transparency, local empowerment, and reinvestment in African economies, aiming to build resilient, future-proof supply chains that benefit all parties.
How the Alignment Works: From Vision to Action
The partnership employs a comprehensive approach, integrating joint management committees and financing facilities hosted by organizations like the African Development Bank. These mechanisms ensure projects are well-funded and monitored, with profits reinvested in regional development and debts amortized through increased exports and tax revenues. This model builds creditor confidence, reduces misuse risks, and ensures local communities benefit from resource extraction and trade.
Trilateral cooperation among Europe, Africa, and the US is central, especially in strategic corridors like the Lobito Corridor, a transformative railway and economic zone connecting Angola, Zambia, and the Democratic Republic of Congo to global markets. This corridor is more than transport; it is a backbone for integrated supply chain networks, enabling efficient movement of minerals, agricultural products, and manufactured goods from landlocked African regions to global consumers.
Early Achievements and Flagship Projects
The alignment’s impact is already visible. The Lobito Corridor, backed by multi-billion-euro commitments from the EU, Italy, the US, and African financial institutions, is unlocking trade and industrial opportunities for landlocked nations and catalyzing urban and industrial development along its route.
In the digital sphere, the expansion of the Blue Raman fiber-optic cable, co-financed by Italy and the EU, is connecting East Africa to Europe, the Middle East, and India. This digital backbone is crucial for modern supply chain networks, enabling real-time tracking, smart logistics, and the growth of digital services.
Agriculture, employing hundreds of millions in Africa, is another focus. The TERRA initiative, launched under the Mattei Plan and Global Gateway, invests in climate-resilient coffee value chains in East Africa. By supporting farmers with traditional and high-tech solutions, Europe and Italy contribute to stabilizing rural incomes, secure export revenues, and ensure sustainability for a sector vital to African livelihoods and European consumers.
Impact on Supply Chains: Resilience, Integration, and Mutual Benefit
The alignment is reshaping supply chains between Africa and Europe by investing in infrastructure, energy, and digital connectivity. These investments reduce bottlenecks, improve trade route efficiency, and lower business costs and risks. The Lobito Corridor is expected to accelerate job creation, facilitate the movement of key raw materials, and provide reliable alternatives to congested or insecure routes and nodes.
African businesses gain greater access to global markets, diversify exports, and move up the value chain. The emphasis on local ownership and reinvestment supports inclusive development and reduces dependency on volatile commodity prices. The alignment provides Europe with secure and diversified sources of critical minerals, agricultural products, and digital services, reducing vulnerabilities and enhancing competitiveness.
What the Future Holds: Opportunities and Challenges
Delivering on this vision will require sustained political will, effective coordination, and adaptability to local contexts. The role of the African Development Bank and other regional institutions is crucial in ensuring that projects are ambitious yet grounded in African realities.
If successful, the Mattei Plan–Global Gateway alignment could transform Africa’s economic geography, foster regional integration and industrialization, and serve as a model for North-South cooperation worldwide. The early results are promising, but the real test will be in long-term delivery and impact.