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22:25 GMT
ALGIERS, Feb 13 (KUNA) -- The heads of state and government partaking in the second Africa-Italy Summit stressed Friday the need to establish a new model of cooperation between the two sides based on respect for national sovereignty and mutual benefits.
During their summit in the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa, African and Italian leaders affirmed that balanced partnerships built on equality and trust are the key to sustainable development that serves the interests of the people.
Chaired by Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and Chairperson of the African Union and President of Angola Joao Lourenco, and attended by African Union Commission Chairperson Mahmoud Youssouf and UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, the gathering offered a space for exchanging views and exploring ways to promote strategic partnerships in line with the development choices of African countries.
Addressing the event, Meloni said that this summit aspires to write a new chapter in the history of relations between the two sides and to create a totally different model of cooperation based on trust and mutual respect between equal parties.
She added that the real challenge in establishing this new cooperation is to enable Africa to make use of its natural resources, provide work for its youth, and address the root causes of migration."
For his part, Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmad called for forging a fresh relationship between Italy and Africa that is based on dignity, not dependency, on shared prosperity, not exploitation and on the future, not on the past.
The Africa-Italy summit seeks to cement bilateral partnerships and weigh the progress made two years after the first summit held in Rome in 2024, and to identify future priorities for cooperation, especially in sustainable development, infrastructure, energy, education, training, healthcare, and agriculture. (end)
mr.mt