Italy pledges deeper cooperation at second Italy-Africa Summit

ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia (AP) — Italy pledged Friday to deepen cooperation with African countries during its second Italy-Africa summit, the first on African soil, aimed at reviewing projects started in critical sectors such as energy and infrastructure during Italy’s first phase of the Mattei Plan for Africa.

The plan, launched in 2024, is aimed at promoting investment-led cooperation rather than traditional aid.

Italy’s Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni addressed dozens of African heads of state and governments in Ethiopia’s capital, Addis Ababa, and reiterated that a successful partnership would depend on Italy’s “ability to draw from African wisdom” and ensure lessons are learned.

“We want to build things together,” she told African heads of state. “We want to be more consistent with the needs of the countries involved.”

Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed said Italy had provided Africa with a gateway to Europe through these partnerships.

“This is a moment to move from dialogue to action,” he said. “By combining Africa’s energetic and creative population with Europe’s experience, technology and capital, we can build solutions that deliver prosperity to our continents and beyond.”

After the Italy-Africa summit concludes Friday, African leaders will remain in Addis Ababa for the annual African Union Summit that begins Saturday.

Kenyan writer and political analyst Nanjala Nyabola said tangible results from such summits depend on preparations made by countries.

African governments often focus on “optics instead of actually making summits a meaningful engagement,” she said.

Instead of waiting to receive a list of demands, countries should “present the conclusions of an extended period of mapping the national needs” and engage in dialogue to see how the needs can be met.

Since it was launched two years ago, the Mattei Plan has directly involved 14 African nations and has launched or advanced around 100 projects in crucial sectors, including energy and climate transition, agriculture and food security, physical and digital infrastructure, health care, water, culture and education, training and the development of artificial intelligence, according to the Italian government.

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Musambi reported from Nairobi, Kenya.

Ethiopia's Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali delivers a speech during the second Italy-Africa Summit at the Addis International Convention Center in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Saturday, Feb. 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Amanuel Sileshi)

Burundi's President Evariste Ndayishimiye delivers a speech during the second Italy-Africa Summit at the Addis International Convention Center in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Saturday, Feb. 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Amanuel Sileshi)

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni addresses the second Italy-Africa Summit at the Addis International Convention Center in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Saturday, Feb. 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Amanuel Sileshi)

U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres delivers a speech during the second Italy-Africa Summit at the Addis International Convention Center in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Saturday, Feb. 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Amanuel Sileshi)

Ethiopia's Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali delivers a speech during the second Italy-Africa Summit at the Addis International Convention Center in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Saturday, Feb. 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Amanuel Sileshi)

LIVIGNO, Italy (AP) — Jakara Anthony brought another freestyle-skiing gold medal to Australia on Saturday, winning in the Winter Olympics debut of dual moguls, the wilder and more unpredictable cousin of moguls skiing that has been in the Games for decades.

Anthony skied cleanly through all five of the single-elimination races to win a gold that goes alongside the title won by Cooper Woods in an upset in the regular men's moguls earlier this week. The 27-year-old Anthony, from Queensland, also won gold in the individual moguls four years ago at the Beijing Games.

Skiing through a heavy snowstorm, the true spirit of this sport was better spelled out by American Jaelin Kauf, who captured her third Olympic silver medal and second of these Games, and her teammate, Elizabeth Lamley, who added bronze to go with the gold she won earlier in the week.

They each won their second medals in four days despite falling in their semifinal rounds.

Kauf's tumble against Canada's Perrine Laffont came after Laffont herself had crashed and skied off the course, meaning the American only had to get up, dust herself off and make it to the bottom of the hill.

Lemley also fell and did not finish in the semifinal against Anthony but advanced to the bronze-medal race.

There, she actually lost the race — a full 0.99 seconds behind Laffont. But because these runs are judged, and time counts for only 20% of the score, with jumps and precision through the moguls counting for the rest, Lamley edged out the Canadian for third.

AP Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/milan-cortina-2026-winter-olympics

United States' Jaelin Kauf competes in the women's freestyle skiing dual moguls finals at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Livigno, Italy, Saturday, Feb. 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)

Gold medalist Australia's Jakara Anthony celebrates after defeating United States' Jaelin Kauf in the women's freestyle skiing dual moguls finals at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Livigno, Italy, Saturday, Feb. 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)

United States' Elizabeth Lemley falls while competing in the women's freestyle skiing dual moguls finals against Australia's Jakara Anthony, not pictured, at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Livigno, Italy, Saturday, Feb. 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)

Australia's Jakara Anthony celebrates after defeating United States' Jaelin Kauf to win the gold medal in the women's freestyle skiing dual moguls finals at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Livigno, Italy, Saturday, Feb. 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)