[Press statements – original audio]

My sincere thanks go to the Prime Minister of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia for his visit to Italy, for the extraordinary meeting we have had over a working lunch with our respective delegations.
We had already met at the COP27 in Sharm el-Sheikh last November and it was immediately clear to us that the relations Italy and Ethiopia have historically had could become even stronger.  
Today, we once again confirmed the deep ties that unite our nations and our peoples. They are historical ties which, over time, have further improved thanks to an increasingly intense economic and political relationship.
This Government intends to strengthen that relationship further, in the spirit of the equal cooperation partnership, especially with African nations, to which we are dedicating much our efforts: the ‘Mattei Plan’ for Africa, which we have launched with the idea of cooperating on development that can help African countries to grow, using Africa’s many resources in the best way possible. 
I have confirmed to Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali that Italy has been, and will continue to be, by the side of a united and stable Ethiopia, all the more so during this crucial phase of its path to national peace and democratic consolidation.
For us, Ethiopia is a cornerstone of stability in the Horn of Africa, of stability throughout the African continent. This is why Italy intends to support its full development, because our ambition is to be a privileged partner of the region, and we intend to work to that end with increasing determination. 
During our meeting, we shared our reflections on the positive developments regarding the conflict in the Tigray Region, following the recent signing of the agreement on the cessation of hostilities. We attribute great importance to the implementation of that agreement.
I made a point of telling the Prime Minister of our satisfaction with the government’s work and I assured him that Italy will continue to do its part, as it has done until now.
With regard to bilateral relations, as you know, our economic cooperation is an important element and we spoke a lot about this, because we believe said cooperation can grow. There is a stable presence of Italian entrepreneurs, of Italian companies, who are held in high regard for the work they do.
We believe there are many areas in which Italian investments and this cooperation can be increased, starting with the energy sector which, as you know, is one of the main issues we are working on, but there is also infrastructure and many other sectors. We would like to work on greater cooperation in the defence sector, for example, and in the field of education and training for Ethiopia’s young people, also as a way not only to encourage investments by Italian companies, but also to enhance people’s ability to grow professionally and contribute to the growth of their nation thanks to those investments. 
Over the coming weeks, we are planning a mission in Ethiopia (I will be going with other Government Ministers), and we would like to also be accompanied by Italian entrepreneurs, making it a mission for the business community too. We now need to schedule a date for the trip and will quickly get it organised. 
You are aware of Italy’s great commitment regarding cooperation in Ethiopia, through which Italy has always ensured support for the country’s development and for the population’s needs. Today’s meeting also gave us the opportunity to sign a joint declaration launching a new three-year cooperation programme for Ethiopia’s development worth EUR 140 million, EUR 100 million of which in the form of loans and EUR 40 million in the form of donations.
This is a very significant aid programme and confirms our willingness to continue supporting Ethiopia’s development, placing strong emphasis on initiatives aimed partly at education and training and creating jobs for young people, allowing them to acquire the technical and professional skills they need to improve their expectations.
In addition to the signing of this important declaration, the Vice-President of the Council of Ministers and Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Antonio Tajani, and the Ethiopian Finance Minister, Ahmed Shide, signed another two important agreements today, for EUR 42 million in loans to be issued for initiatives regarding tea and coffee supply chains and water infrastructure in Ethiopia’s arid areas.
So, I am very, very satisfied with this meeting, I am pleased with our friendship and I am certain we will continue to do extraordinary work together.
Thank you.

[Courtesy translation]