Abiy Ahmed on Friday called for a renewed Africa-Europe partnership grounded in dignity and shared prosperity.
He spoke while hosting the Second Italy-Africa Summit in Addis Ababa, urging leaders to move beyond dependency and extraction.
“Together, we can shape a new Africa-Europe relationship, not based on dependency, but dignity,” Abiy told delegates.
Co-host Giorgia Meloni said Italy’s cooperation with Africa rests on mutual benefit and will continue to deepen.
She said Rome’s Mattei Plan aims to deliver concrete benefits for African populations through practical and measurable projects.
The Mattei Plan, launched in 2024 after the first summit in Rome, promotes investment-led partnerships across key sectors.
Those sectors include energy, infrastructure, agriculture and vocational training, with a focus on long-term economic transformation.
Italian officials say the initiative seeks to spur development while helping curb irregular migration through joint ventures rather than traditional aid.
Addressing the gathering, Antonio Guterres urged cooperation built on mutual respect and trust.
He called for reforms to the global financial system to close a $4 trillion annual development financing gap.
Guterres also highlighted the high borrowing costs faced by African nations, describing them as a brake on progress.
Leaders from across Africa and Europe attended, alongside senior officials from the African Union.
The summit focused on energy transition, climate action, digital transformation and industrial development as pillars of shared growth.
Under the bright Addis Ababa sky, delegates pledged partnership over patronage, signalling a cautious but hopeful turn in intercontinental ties.