VIDEO | From the Mattei Plan to the diasporas, Senegal-Italy moving forward together

The prospects for cooperation in the time of Giorgia Meloni and the new president Bassirou Diomaye Faye: ambassador Ngor Ndiaye and the president of Esperienza Italia, Andrea Torracca, speak

by Nico Perrone and Alessandra Fabbretti

ROME – Senegal and Italy move forward together. In the spirit of the Mattei Plan presented by Giorgia Meloni’s government but also and above all in the wake of a friendship that has grown over time. Also through the professionalism and talents of the diasporas, the communities of foreign origin who live and work in both countries. Going beyond stereotypes and getting to the point: what can be done together, with the government of the new president Bassirou Diomaye Faye in Dakar, taking advantage of the Italian experience and valorising the resources and riches of Senegal. It is a promise and at the same time a commitment. Discussing it in the editorial staff of the Dire agency, interviewed by the director Nico Perrone, are the ambassador of Senegal in Rome, Ngor Ndiaye, and Andrea Torracca, president of the Esperienza Italia association.

SENEGAL. NDIAYE AMBASSADOR: PRIVILEGED RELATIONSHIP WITH ITALY

“The Mattei Plan for Africa to strengthen development and cooperation is an important project, for which we thank Prime Minister Meloni: Senegal is a priority country for Italy, but also the Italy is important for us: we have been cultivating privileged relationships for years, I dare say since we obtained independence.” Words by Ngor Ndiaye, ambassador of Senegal to Italy. Interviewed by the director of the Dire agency, Nico Perrone, a few weeks after the installation of a new government, Ndiaye highlights: “Senegal is among the most dynamic countries on the continent in terms of cooperation. We have a growth rate which this year is estimated at around 9%, we have a lively democracy, characterized by multiple alternations, the most recent of which last March, when the elections were held which led to the election of a very young president , who is 44 years old. So, together with the prime minister, we have two leaders under 50. It means that they belong to the same generation and this will facilitate cooperation between them.”

The ambassador then reviews the priority sectors: “For us they are agriculture and agri-food in general. Then infrastructure, fishing, food processing, digital transformation and other areas of cooperation such as sport and training; priority areas in which we try to attract Italian investors”. Senegal also boasts a strong and historic presence of citizens in Italy, among the most important in Italy and perhaps in Europe. “For us it is very important” confirms Ndiaye again, “we define it as the ‘fifteenth’ region of Senegal”, which has 14 on its territory. “It is also represented in the National Assembly through 15 deputies elected in countries on five continents. ‘There are three deputies of Senegalese origin elected in Europe, one of whom is in Italy. My country has always believed in human resources, considered our main wealth, our citizens who leave the country to come to Italy >they do it to study or work, and acquire knowledge and skills which they then share with their country“. According to the ambassador, the majority of citizens who expatriate “try not to cut ties and, even when they obtain citizenship, they remain in contact, becoming investors in Senegal themselves, or accompanying Italian investors and companies”.


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From this point of view, the diplomat informs that “as an embassy we are working to create a Federation that brings together all the Senegalese living in Italy, which allows us to develop projects”. Ndiaye underlines: “The diaspora is also present at the level of all development initiatives. The government is also about to set up a Diaspora Bank. There have been various initiatives that aim to bring the diaspora closer, for example through housing programs or recognition I remember that during the Covid-19 pandemic, when there was a lockdown and people were facing various problems, including losing their jobs, the government allocated one trillion to support citizens living abroad.” Not only. “A major issue that is close to our hearts is the equalization of social rights” says Ndiaye. “There are many Senegalese who work in Italy but, once they retire, they do not have access to contributions. We have presented a bill to the Italian authorities and we hope that, with the new executive in office, it will have a positive sequel”.

SENEGAL. TORRACCA (ITALY EXPERIENCE): RICH AND STRATEGIC COUNTRY

For the first time we are talking about Africa thanks to the Mattei Plan. It is good that at the first point there is the need to know the continent, because we must understand that it already has everything and that we must change the paradigm with which we observe it. For example, it has four times the agricultural surface area of Europe and is the continent with the most underground water in the world. As for Senegal, we have many projects for businesses, the key word is food self-sufficiency”. This is Andrea Torracca, president of Esperienza Italia, an association that puts Italian companies in contact with other entities around the world to respond to problems and needs that come from Italian cities, municipalities and territories.

During an interview with the director of the Dire agency Nico Perrone, in which the ambassador of Senegal, Ngor Ndiaye also participates, we start from the role that Senegal plays for Italy and the recent Mattei Plan for ‘Africa presented in January by Giorgia Meloni’s government. “Geopolitics explains that Senegal is strategic” underlines Torracca. “The opposite coast, the eastern one, is affected by the conflict in the Red Sea, which is also putting Italian companies in crisis.” But the country overlooking the Atlantic stands out for its solid democracy and many resources: “70% of the population is made up of young people, and it is rich in everything”.

Recently, recalls the president of Esperienza Italia, “we signed the agreement for a development project, because we want to bring Italian companies to invest in Senegal” starting from food self-sufficiency. “Africa is experiencing a great paradox – continues the expert – because it imports basic foods of its own culinary culture, such as rice, almost 50% of which is imported. Western countries purchased a million from abroad last year alone and 500 thousand tons.The new government is aware of the importance of food self-sufficiency, which means leaving wealth in the territory, triggering other processes such as food transformation – Senegal for example produces a lot of fish and mango , which however then has to be thrown away in large quantities – and this creates jobs for young people”. For a reality like Esperienza Italia, Torracca assures, the relationship with the Senegalese diaspora then becomes fundamental. “It has become the largest in Europe, surpassing the French one, which is an important fact” he comments. “We already collaborate. In Italy there are five million jobs missing, and we are carrying out various training projects and integration of the world of work with the Senegalese community”.

One involves a transport company, another a carpentry company. “We are also working on a microcredit institute in Senegal– continues Torracca- to help the planning of young Senegalese people in Italy, who intend to reinvest in their territory. We are in contact with the largest national microcredit institution, which has said it is interested in opening in Senegal as well.” As for field projects there is the University of Made in Italy because, says Torracca, “training is fundamental”.