Italy ramps up Africa investment, infrastructure drive at CEO forum

Italy strengthened its engagement with African markets at the Africa CEO Forum held in Kigali on May 14–15, using the platform to promote investment, industrial cooperation, and technology transfer. This was done through a coordinated public-private presence led by the country’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation and the Italian Trade Agency (ITA). ALSO READ: Italy to participate in Africa CEO Forum 2026 The Italian delegation brought together government institutions and private sector actors to showcase expertise in infrastructure, energy, agribusiness and advanced manufacturing, while also facilitating direct business linkages with African companies through targeted meetings and networking sessions. In the middle of the forum’s engagements, Italy also hosted a cocktail reception, where it presented its industrial capabilities and ongoing cooperation initiatives across Africa. Italy’s economic diplomacy and financing support In an interview with The New Times, Fabrizio Lobasso, Italy’s Minister Plenipotentiary and Principal Director for Trade and Investment Promotion, said Italy’s engagement extended beyond the official forum sessions, reflecting a wider programme of economic diplomacy. Lobasso said that a €30 million financing agreement between Italian financial institution Cassa Depositi e Prestiti (CDP) and the Development Bank of Rwanda (BRD) was signed to support climate-resilient and sustainable development projects, complementing existing Italian support for Rwanda’s green transition agenda. ALSO READ: BRD, Italian Climate Fund seal €30m deal to spur Rwanda’s green economy Deepening infrastructure engagement in Rwanda Lobasso added that discussions also focused on increasing Italy’s participation in Rwanda’s infrastructure sector. “We spoke about our will, as Italy, to participate more and more in tenders and competitions here regarding infrastructure, railways, and regional connectivity.” Lobasso described Rwanda as a fast-evolving investment destination with improving conditions for business. “Legislation, taxation and bureaucracy are speeding towards the facilitation of processes. This is important in order to attract capital and entrepreneurs,” he added. Vincenzo Ercole Salazar Sarsfield, Infrastructure and Major Projects Coordinator at Italy’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said Rwanda is one of the priority countries. According to him, Italy is working together with local authorities to identify priorities in order to launch several projects. “We are working on several big infrastructure projects ranging from railways to ports, airports, roads, renewables and industrial construction,” he said. Shift toward long-term partnerships Claudio Pasqualucci, Trade Commissioner at the Italian Trade Agency’s Addis Ababa office, said Italy’s approach to Africa is shifting toward deeper industrial cooperation and long-term partnerships. “We have been present in Africa for many years. We have a long history of cooperation in trade and investment with Africa. We think that participating in this forum can be one of the important milestones in our new approach to Africa,” he said. He noted that this renewed engagement is also aligned with Italy’s Piano Mattei for Africa, a strategic initiative aimed at strengthening partnerships with African countries through investment, infrastructure development, energy cooperation, education and technology transfer. Rwanda is among the countries identified under the initiative as Italy seeks to deepen long-term economic and industrial collaboration across the continent. ITA, which operates 69 international offices and 18 satellite desks across 74 countries, played a central role in coordinating Italy’s participation, including B2B's and sector-focused exchanges during the two-day event. The forum also coincided with the Italian Trade Agency’s celebration of 100 years of supporting Italian industry and promoting international trade, underscoring Italy’s longstanding commitment to fostering commercial partnerships and industrial cooperation across global markets, including Africa. Pasqualucci added that the emphasis is on shared value creation through technology and skills transfer. “We want to bring our technology here in a way that benefits local supply chains, increases productivity, and supports sustainable industrial growth, he said.

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Italy ramps up Africa investment, infrastructure drive at CEO forum