Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni Labels Algeria Strategic Cornerstone for Italy Following High Level Energy and Agriculture Summit

PM Giorgia Meloni affirms Algeria as a key strategic partner for Italy, focusing on gas pipelines, desert agriculture, and the upcoming visit of Pope Leo XIV.

By: AXL Media

Published: Mar 25, 2026, 3:40 PM EDT

Source: The information in this article was sourced from Algérie Presse Service

A Renewed Mandate for Mediterranean Cooperation

The diplomatic partnership between Italy and Algeria has entered a phase of exceptional stability as Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni completed her second official mission to the North African nation in under four years. During a joint press statement at the Presidency of the Republic, Meloni emphasized that Algeria remains a partner of great strategic importance, describing the current state of relations as the strongest they have been in modern history. This visit underscores Italy’s broader foreign policy objective of positioning Algeria as a central hub for European energy security and regional stability amidst a global context of growing international volatility.

Energy Infrastructure and the Mattei Gas Pipeline

At the heart of the bilateral discussions was a commitment to significantly increase the flow of energy resources across the Mediterranean. Meloni highlighted the collaboration between national energy giants Eni and Sonatrach, focusing on new prospects in shale gas and offshore exploration to secure long term supply flows. A critical component of this vision is the continued development of the Transmed project, also referred to as the Mattei gas pipeline. This strategic infrastructure is intended to strengthen interconnectivity between the two shores, utilizing energy as both a development tool and a primary mechanism for achieving shared economic growth under the framework of the Mattei Plan for Africa.

Accelerated Agricultural Reclamation in the Sahara

The partnership is also expanding into large scale food security initiatives aimed at transforming desert landscapes into productive agricultural zones. Meloni announced that a joint public-private project to reclaim over 36,000 hectares of desert land for the cultivation of grains and legumes is progressing at an accelerated pace. For the upcoming 2026 planting season, the area under active production is expected to nearly double, growing from 7,000 to 13,000 hectares. To support this growth, both nations plan to establish a dedicated vocational training center in the agricultural sector, further solidifying the socioeconomic ties between the Italian and Algerian peoples.