“They told us that the Mattei Plan is excellent and they are very grateful to us for having placed the emphasis on Africa”
Algeria has shown itself willing to provide a financial contribution to the Mattei Plan. This is stated by ad “Nova Agency” the deputy minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Edmund Cirielli, received in Algiers by the President of the Republic Abdelmadjid Tebboune, together with the Minister of the Interior, Matteo Piantedosi. “The president greatly appreciated the Mattei Plan and told us they are ready to contribute not only with their ideas, but also with funding,” said the deputy minister. “They told us that the Mattei Plan is an excellent plan and they are very grateful to us for placing the emphasis on Africa,” adds Cirielli.
In Algeria, ad Enrico Mattei a very high role of support, friendship and closeness is widely recognized during the years of the national liberation war (1954-1962). In fact, Mattei has historically supported both the National Liberation Front and the Provisional Government of the Algerian Republic, to which he provided a significant contribution in the negotiations of the Evian Agreements. His name also evokes the large number of Algerian students, future executives and managers of the oil and energy industry, trained on his initiative in the Eni schools in San Donato Milanese.
Cirielli then highlights that Algiers is providing significant support to Tunisia, which is going through a critical phase. Furthermore, the deputy minister responsible for development cooperation reports that Italy “has offered its help to provide humanitarian assistance to Sahrawi refugees”. While avoiding going into the merits of the political issues relating to Western Sahara, Cirielli underlines Italy’s commitment to assisting people in difficulty. “I said we want to do our part and we want to help. They appreciated our gesture and it is not to be taken for granted, given the country’s usual reserved attitude towards external aid,” he concludes.
