Meloni in Algeria: “We need an energy mix to overcome the crisis. I will go to other North African countries”

Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s declared objective of the visit to Algeria was to try to guarantee Italy (and Europe) the widest energy mix. And allow you to relaunch the “Mattei Plan”, an intervention that concerns Italian (and European) investments in Africa of which you had already spoken in rather vaguely defined terms since the establishment of your government. So today, welcomed by the Algerian president Abdelmadjid Tebboune, Meloni signed a memorandum of understanding in the energy field, defined by the presence of Eni’s CEO Claudio DeScalzi and of the homologue of Sonatrach Toufik Hakkar. “Today Algeria is our main gas supplier. Two agreements have been signed by Eni and its Algerian counterpart, one to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, therefore for sustainable development, and the other to achieve an increase in gas exports from Algeria to Italy and the EU, the construction of a new hydrogen gas pipeline, the possibility of making liquefied gas, in short, an energy mix mechanism that we identify as a possible solution to the current crisis “, Meloni said at the press conference, explaining in more detail what today’s meetings were for.

“I am very satisfied with a partnership that is very solid, with an Italian presence that is very credible and therefore with an Italy that manages to be a credible partner, which is capable of non-predatory cooperation but made, above all and also, to help the nations with which it works to grow and develop“, added Meloni in front of the press. Clarification that one of the objectives of the Italian government is to “build bridges” with the countries of North Africa, so as to be able to represent a solution to the crisis not only for Rome but for the whole continent European.

In this regard, Meloni added that in the coming weeks he is planning trips to other countries in the area, to arrive at the signing of collaboration agreements similar to the one signed today. “We need a Mattei plan for Africa, on an equal basis with the countries of the southern shore of the Mediterranean to transform crises into opportunities,” she said. “The Mattei Plan is the possibility, in a difficult moment for Europe on supplies, to make Italy the gateway, the fundamental hub for energy distribution”.

On the internal front, however, Meloni said, with regard to the petrol station strike called for January 25 and 26, that “it is not the government’s intention to punish the category“. As far as the wiretapping issue is concerned, the premier said that the government will intervene “but there is no need for a clash between politics and the judiciary. Indeed, I believe that we must work together to understand where the mechanism of the rule of law is not working and to seek the most effective solutions”.