Italy to give Africa €3b for climate change: Meloni

Italy is to give Africa three billion euros to mitigate and adapt to climate change over the next five years, helping stem migrant flows, Premier Giorgia Meloni said at the G20 summit in India Saturday.   

"Italy will allocate more than 70 per cent of its Italian Climate Fund to Africa. That means 3 billion euros over the next five years, equally earmarked for mitigation and adaptation initiatives", she said.

Meloni added, "The commitment is part of the 'Rome Process' launched with the Conference on Migration and Development, which Italy convened in July and aims to build a new model of international relations on an equal footing, to create development, but also to foster legal migration paths and combat the powerful criminal networks of illegal immigration traffickers, who exploit desperation to enrich themselves".

In other remarks, Meloni accused Russia of using energy as blackmail; said the response to climate change must include everyone; and pledged Italian support for the quake that has killed over 820 people in Morocco.