“Cooperation works when the approach is bottom-up. It requires missions and presence in the territories, listening to needs, and building alliances to achieve a qualitative leap forward.” With these words, Director Marco Riccardo Rusconi spoke at the opening of the eighth edition of the Italy-Africa Business Week (IABW) at the Farnesina. This annual event brings together African business and finance leaders with Italian stakeholders, and the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation (AICS) has participated since its start.
“One year after the Italy-Africa Conference dedicated to the Mattei Plan, we have carried out several system missions on the ground. These missions involved all actors in cooperation, from institutional players like the Ministries of Foreign Affairs, Interior, and Environment, along with Cassa Depositi e Prestiti, International Organizations, and Civil Society, to private businesses that spread technology and expertise without outsourcing,” the Director added. He also highlighted that AICS has opened two new offices in Côte d’Ivoire and Uganda, bringing the total to ten offices across Africa. This significant and challenging step reflects the commitment of a smaller agency, compared to its European counterparts, but is essential for ensuring a tangible presence to achieve the sustainable development goals of Italian Cooperation and the Mattei Plan in Africa.
AICS’s participation in the IABW continues on Thursday, January 23, at 9:30 a.m. at the Villa Aurelia Conference Center with a session titled “Italian Cooperation and the Role of Diasporas in Promoting the Private Sector.” Moderated by Fabio Strinati, Head of Office III – Opportunities and Economic Development, the conference aims to spotlight Italian Cooperation’s efforts in advancing socioeconomic development in partner countries. The discussion will feature key stakeholders involved in entrepreneurial projects funded in Kenya, Tunisia, and Senegal.
Later that day, at 11:15 a.m., Grazia Sgarra, Head of Office VII – Cooperation Actors, Partnerships, and Development Finance, will participate in the conference titled “Italy Meets Africa: Tools and Strategies for Building New Synergies Between Italian and African Enterprises,” organized by Cassa Depositi e Prestiti. This session will outline the tools of Italian Cooperation, launched, managed, or monitored by AICS, including both grant and aid credit mechanisms. The focus will be on promoting sustainable development in Africa through partnerships with public institutions and cooperation actors, both Italian and local, in alignment with the Mattei Plan.
