Deals on investments in Africa at summit in Italy

​​​​​​​By Baris Seckin

ROME (AA) - President Ursula von der Leyen said Friday that the EU Commission signed five important agreements with Africa that would provide more than €1.2 billion ($1.38 billion) in investments and guarantees.

The “The Mattei Plan for Africa and the Global Gateway: A common effort with the African Continent” summit, co-hosted by Italy and the EU, concluded with the participation of representatives from the African Union (AU), African countries and international development agencies.

At the conclusion of the summit in Rome, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, von der Leyen, and AU Commission President Mahmud Ali Yusuf issued a statement in which the Italian premier said she believes that Africa is a place where the world's future will be shaped more than any other continent.

Italians and Europeans are obligated to make a difference, it is possible to truly make a difference, she said.

Meloni noted work on a concrete initiative to address the debt issues of African countries.

Von der Leyen said at a news conference that the agreements the Commission signed with Africa demonstrate how political will and a shared vision transformed into concrete decisions and, most importantly, real results on the ground.