NESA Center Alumni Publication
Dr. Arslan Chikhaoui – Geopolitics expert and Chairman of the Consultancy and Studies Center (www.nordsudventures.com) and member of the Istanbul Economic Cooperation Platform (UIP)
15 June 2024
The G7 Summit held in Borgo from June 13 to 15 placed by the organizing country, Italy, under the generic topic of Africa, multilateralism, and the important role that the Mediterranean is entitled to play accordingly.
This summit, which brings together the seven most powerful democracies in the world, is dominated by geopolitical tensions and international tensions around Ukraine and Gaza. It is also about relations with China, the fight against global warming, and the debt of developing countries. In addition to historical countries (United States, Japan, Germany, France, Italy, Canada, and the United Kingdom), the leaders of Ukraine, India, Brazil, Algeria, Kenya, and even Pope Francis are invited to this meeting. Real Politik is the path.
In addition to the hot issues of high-intensity conflicts in the Middle East and Ukraine, the Head of the Italian Government, Giorgia Meloni, puts the question of mobility (migration) and access to energy on the menu of discussions. When discussing the development of African countries, she did not hide the ambitions of her country and its program to combat clandestine and illegal immigration.
One will notice that last January, in Rome, for an Italy-Africa Summit. Meloni presented his “Mattei” plan for Africa. The latter wants to encourage the sustainable development of the continent through virtuous investments. This is with the stated objective of discouraging the departure of migrants towards an “ illusory El Dorado.” Investments worth 5.5 billion Euros had been announced in a series of projects supposed to give a large place to energy infrastructure because Italy wants to be the hub that transports gas, and soon hydrogen and electricity between the two shores of the Mediterranean.
Algeria, guest of honor at this summit, indicates that the country is unavoidable in the western Mediterranean basin with its strategic depth in the Sahel and on the African continent. In this Era of the reshaping of geopolitical mapping and strategic alliances, Algeria is seen by the G7 countries as a reliable and solid partner in the fight against the multiple malicious threats (terrorism, illegal immigration, drug trafficking, etc.) that undermine the stability at regional and continental scale as well as for its gas and mining resources, particularly for the rare and critical minerals which are necessary for energy reconversion and the carbon-free alternative industry and the technological evolution. Indeed, these are the leverages of Algerian diplomacy.
The presence of the President of Algeria at this summit will be an additional opportunity to reaffirm Algeria’s principles, namely a world governed by international law, where the temptations to impose “faits accomplish” would no longer exist. And where a more inclusive vision will provide policy solutions. Also, this will allow a bilateral level to consolidate the strategic partnership, which offers real opportunities to economic operators of the two countries. Algeria will thus be able to present the Algerian-Italian partnership as an example to follow for Africa and within the Mediterranean area of common interest to be multiplied.
It is clear that Italy has invited countries outside the G7 to this summit, which are interested in particular in the “Mattei Plan,” which Italy, with the support of Algeria, is in the process of implementing.
The views presented in this article are those of the speaker or author and do not necessarily represent the views of DoD or its components.