The Horn of Africa region has a strategic position in relation to the entire Red Sea area. In the Horn of Africa Italy plays a leading role in maintaining peace and stability, in the wake of traditional friendly relations and a traditional and structured commitment.
The Farnesina has initiated many collaborations in the political, security, economic, social, cultural and development cooperation sectors, and on issues such as the fight against poverty and support for regional integration processes, both bilaterally and within the European Union. Italy also provides significant financial contributions to the United Nations agencies, designed to improve people’s living conditions in the most vulnerable areas.
Two regional organisations are based in the region: the African Union and the Intergovernmental Authority on Development – IGAD. In the multilateral sphere, Italy has accredited its Permanent Representative to the African Union as an observer and is co-chair of the IGAD Partners Forum (IPF), which brings together the regional organisation’s donors.
In February 2022, on the sidelines of the European Union-African Union Summit, the Ministerial Conference of the Horn of Africa Initiative – a political forum for dialogue between Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia and Sudan, aimed to strengthen regional economic cooperation through development programmes – was held. During the year, further meetings at Ministerial level may be held between member countries of the Initiative.