In Rome to attend the EU-Africa summit, IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva paints a picture of the global economic situation, between tariffs and conflicts. And to Italy, she recommends full implementation of the National Recovery and Resilience Plan and reforms, to accelerate growth.
Let’s start with the EU-Africa summit. What do you expect?
I see this Summit as a chance to celebrate the resilience that African countries have shown and further strengthen the support of Africa’s partners. It will allow to take stock of concrete projects advancing Africa’s development under the Mattei Plan for Africa and the EU Global Gateway. Italy and its European partners have already invested heavily in sustainable infrastructure, agri-food processing, clean energy and digital connectivity across Africa. At the Summit, I hope we can map out how these efforts can be accelerated, creating jobs and revitalizing communities. Equally important will be discussions on strengthening intra-African trade, especially under the African Continental Free Trade Area. When Europe and Africa work together—pooling finance, expertise, and technology—they grow more prosperous and more secure. I am grateful to Prime Minister Meloni for the invitation to join the Summit. In a world of heightened uncertainty, deeper cooperation is key to unlocking shared gains and the IMF has a unique role to play in this regard.
