ItalAfrica Strategic Symposium

The ItalAfrica Strategic Symposium is an international conference organized by the CeSI - Center for International Affairs, Africa e Affari and E4Impact with the support of the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation with the aim of fostering the debate between Italy and Africa on the main common issues and priorities.

The conference will be held in English. The symposium will last from the 25th to the 27th of October.
Download the agenda HERE.

Within the framework of “People, Planet Prosperity” promoted by the Italian Presidency of the G20, ItalAfrica gathers different Italian and African stakeholders from public institutions, the private sector, academia and civil society to reflect on the main challenges and opportunities for cooperation between Italy and the African continent, with a special focus on the Sahel region, Western Africa and the Horn of Africa. In particular, the discussion will revolve around four main areas:

Area 1: African identities and cultural diplomacy This section aims to improve and renovate the Italian perception of Africa, exploring the multifaceted African identities and, above all, paying attention to how Africans see their own future and how they conceive the relation with Italy. This is indeed a key step to deepen the mutual understanding and lay the foundations for a sound and effective cooperation.

Area 2: Capacity building and technology empowerment Capacity building is an essential driver of growth and development for African countries, a key element to ensure a more peaceful, stable, and prosperous continent. On the one hand, the discussion will unpack the most important dossiers on which capacity building activities can be carried out in order to foster Africa’s entrepreneurship and the private sector. On the other hand, the debate will seek to identify the most effective ways to support African countries in their effort to address fragility and conflicts, share good practices and foster technology empowerment.

Area 3: Energy transition and renewable resources-driven economic growth This section aims to explore the role that renewable energies can play in the African growth trajectory and discuss how climate policies can be mainstreamed into Africa’s development agenda, capitalizing on the co-benefits and eradicating poverty and food insecurity. In particular, this section will focus on how the EU, Italy and other international partners can uphold the transformative process of African economies by providing the required financial support and uphold the sustainable transformation of African economies

Area 4: Business synergies in emerging sectors of the African economy The perspectives of growth for the African continent represent a huge opportunity to develop mutual beneficial partnerships in key sectors, such as digitalization, urban development, circular economy, and health. Against this backdrop, the discussion will thus focus on the synergies that can be built between Europe/Italy and Africa, exploring those sectors in which public-private partnerships can be developed effectively.