Undersecretary of State for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Giorgio Silli, carried out an official mission to Mozambique from 24 to 25 July, during which he held high-level meetings with representatives of the Mozambican government, civil society, and the private sector.
Throughout an intensive agenda of institutional meetings — including with the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Maria de Fátima Simão Manso, and the Secretary of State at the Ministry of Labour, Gender and Social Action, with responsibility for international adoptions, Abdul Razak Email Amizá — Undersecretary Silli reaffirmed Italy’s commitment to supporting Mozambique’s inclusive and sustainable growth, including through the Mattei Plan for Africa. He also met with key stakeholders of the Italian presence in the country, such as ENI and the Community of Sant’Egidio.
During the meeting with his Mozambican counterpart, the executive agreement for the IN4JOB programme was signed. The initiative aims to promote youth entrepreneurship through the creation and incubation of start-ups and micro, small and medium-sized enterprises, thereby fostering training and employment opportunities for young people.
The mission reaffirmed Italy’s intention to further strengthen its presence in Mozambique by promoting sustainable investments, technical cooperation, and cultural exchanges.
Reinforcing Mozambique’s role as an energy hub — one of the most promising in terms of growth potential for LNG exports, also thanks to projects developed in partnership with ENI — goes hand in hand with efforts to consolidate security conditions in the Cabo Delgado region. This issue was addressed during a dedicated meeting with a wide representation of Italian energy companies operating in the area.
Italy, consistently attentive to both dimensions, contributes to these efforts through the deployment of military personnel in the European Union’s EUMAM mission and by supporting the development of a new strategic response to counter terrorism. This approach aims to address, in a structured and comprehensive manner, the root causes of instability in Mozambique’s northern province.
During his visit to Maputo, the Undersecretary also toured the primary healthcare centre managed by the Capuchin Friars and run by Brother Luca, which is funded by the Veneto Region, as well as one of the DREAM centres of the Community of Sant’Egidio.