A forum for Africa at the G7 in Ortigia

Yesterday, the G7 Agriculture Ministers' Meeting in Syracuse opened with the Forum for Africa. For the first time, the summit of the Big Seven also hosted ministers from ten African countries, plus the African Union Commissioner for Agriculture, Josefa Sacko. Angola, Algeria, Ivory Coast, Egypt, Ethiopia, Kenya, Senegal, South Africa, Tunisia and Uganda.

About half of these countries are covered by the Mattei Plan, launched by the Italian government earlier this year. At present, as far as agriculture is concerned, the Plan has already led Italy to invest in Algeria (see article on page) and Angola (Cremonini Group). The Minister of Agriculture, Francesco Lollobrigida, announced that the next project will concern Egypt, where he will personally visit in October to inaugurate Coldiretti's first Campagna Amica market.