Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni greets European Council President Charles Michel (R) during the Italy-Africa Summit in Rome, Italy, 29 January 2024. The African continent will have a place of honor on the agenda of Italy's presidency of the G7 in 2024, Italian Prime Minister Meloni said at the Italy-Africa Summit at the Senate in Rome. Italy is making a 'pecise foreign policy choice that will lead to giving Africa a place of honor on the agenda of our G7 presidency,' she told the 25 African leaders and representatives of EU institutions attending the event. Meloni said Italy's so-called Mattei Plan, the planned new strategic partnership with African countries to tackle the root causes of irregular migration and turn Italy into a kind of hub for energy supplies from Africa to Europe as the continent tries to reduce its dependence on Russian oil and gas supplies after Moscow's invasion of Ukraine, could count on a budget of 5.5 billion euros, including 'loans, grants and guarantees'.